Aftermorphs  The One
by capnnerefir
Summary: A rag-tag band of Andalites is sent into Kelbrid Space to investigate the disappearance of Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, only to find themselves caught up in a power struggle between horrible enemies; and to discover some hidden powers of their own.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

Hey kids, long time no see, yeah? Real life's been real busy, as it sometimes does. But I know a lot of my regular readers have missed me and want something to read. So I decided to find you something from the shelf.

**About This Story:** If it seems like you read this story before, you probably have. I published it previously under the name Kheldar (SilKheldar, PrinceKheldar, I forget exactly what). I wanted to try out something new, but felt that the name 'capnnerefir' was too tied up in Neomorphs, and that my readers might have certain expectations. But not a whole lot of people read this the first time I posted it, and there were some parts I was never happy with anyway. So I've done a bit of re-vamping; changing some names, fiddling with characters, adding more flavor, etc.

So, for those of you who read this before and enjoyed it, I hope you like the small changes I've made and I can assure you that it won't be too long before you see something wholly new. To those of you just joining me in this new story, welcome. I hope you enjoy the ride.

* * *

><p>Sabion-Tored-Selec was intoxicated. This was common. The end of the Yeerk War had been great for most of the galaxy. It had been a disaster for Warrior Sabion. No sooner had he been made a full Warrior, no sooner had he been assigned to a Dome ship and given his orders to go out and fight the Yeerks, no sooner had he set hoof on the path to being a true hero, than the dream had been torn from him. The <em>StarThorn<em> was only halfway to its intended target when they received the news. The war was over. Sabion never even had the chance to go forth and earn glory for his herd. His dreams were all as dead as the Yeerk Empire. He had been lucky enough to be one of the ones to keep his position in the military, but there was little satisfaction in that.

And so Sabion drank.

And when he drank, he often found himself doing very strange things. Tonight, he found himself outside of the Scoop of none other than Alloran-Semitur-Corass, formerly known as the Abomination. But Alloran was completely irrelevant to why Sabion was there. His thoughts ware about Alloran's daughter, Alludra-Lasius-Kemia.

Alludra had a bit of a reputation. Without her father around to keep her in line, she grew pretty wild. Her scoop was a common stop for young Andalites at the Academy, and she was usually a willing host. After Alloran's capture, her mother virtually gave up on life. She barely kept herself fed, much less kept her daughter in line. Alludra's older brother, the famous Captain-Prince Asculan-Semitur-Langor, was too busy fighting the Yeerks to worry about the life his sister was leading.

That all changed when Alloran returned, of course. Jahar regained her health and after Alloran nearly decapitated a foolish _aristh_ who apparently hadn't gotten the message, males stopped coming to the Scoop uninvited. Except for Sabion. The first time he arrived, he had nearly lost his tailblade to Alloran. But after that, the old War-Prince seemed to decide he was harmless. Now, he just politely sent Sabion on his way. Although for Alloran, 'polite' consisted of only minor wounds.

(ALLUDRA!) Sabion shouted. (**ALLUDRA!**)

As always, it was Alloran who appeared. Even inebriated as he was, Sabion was afraid of Alloran. He was a large Andalite, though not as large as most of the Andalites Sabion had grown up with. Sabion himself was larger than Alloran. Like most Andalites from the southern quarter of the world, he had strong, muscular arms not typically associated with his species.

But Alloran had a...presence. There was some sort of aura around him that made him seem larger than he really was. His willpower was like a physical force that allowed Alloran to tower over Andalites who were larger than he was. And of course, there was the fact that Alloran could, at will, become one of any number of deadly creatures that Esplin 9466 had acquired into his body.

Though with his years of experience and training, he did not need any of that to send a drunken Sabion to the ground. A flick of his tail was usually enough. Sometimes, his voice was all it took. (Warrior Sabion. I wonder how one so incapable of learning managed to graduate from the Academy.)

(I'm very good with my tail,) Sabion answered.

(Not from what I've seen.) The two of them gazed at each other for several moments. Alloran glared. Sabion just sort of gazed drunkenly. Finally, Alloran looked away and sighed. (Must we go through this every week, Sabion?)

(It hasn't been a week.)

(You are correct. It has been five days. Your visits are getting more and more frequent. I think I am going to have to do something to permanently deter you.)

(Maybe if you'd let me-)

(No.)

(But-)

(_No._)

(I only want-)

(No!)

(I swear I-)

(NO!)

(If you'd just-)

(**NO!**)

(Really, you'll see-) Sabion cut off when he felt Alloran's tailblade across his face. He had the blade turned sideways so it didn't cut him, but the force of the blow sent Sabion stumbling. Faster than Sabion realized was possible form one of his age, Alloran followed up by smashing one of Sabion's knees, then another. A forth smack in the upper torso sent the Warrior the ground.

Alloran stood over him, glaring down. (Again, I ask how you graduated.)

(My tail fighting scores-)

Alloran ground a hoof into Sabion's side. (Go home, Warrior. There is nothing for you here.)

(Alloran?) a female voice called. Not Alludra. Sabion would have recognized her voice. This must have been her mother, Jahar. (Alloran, Jaham has called. He wishes to speak with you.)

_Jaham?_ Sabion wondered. He could only think of one Jaham: Jaham-Estalan-Forlan, head of the Andalite War-Council, official head of their race's military. But it couldn't be him. What could he possibly want at this hour? Nevertheless, Alloran turned and entered the scoop again. Sabion tried to stumble to his hooves and failed. Resignedly, he morphed to Kafit and flew back to his own scoop. All things considered, the night hadn't been so bad.

Alloran usually hurt him much, much worse.

* * *

><p>Sabion woke up the next morning to the shrieking of his holocom. (Crangar's tails,) Sabion cursed, getting up. He had been sleeping on his side. (I must have been really into it last night,) he muttered to himself, stumbling over to where his holocom sat. He had a splitting headache and every sound seemed to be designed as a weapon. Light itself seemed weaponized. (Too much <em>oeda<em> juice. Never again.) He paused and thought about that. (At least, not today)

There wasn't much in his scoop, though that was to be expected. A table at one end held some of his possessions, most notably his holocom and his Shredder. There was also a hologram of him with the rest of the driftball team, next to which was his most prized possession: a hologram of Baradon-Nurmeon-Palloros, Sabion's favorite driftball player and almost universally recognized as the best player the game had ever seen. It was signed by Baradon himself.

On a bench next to the table were the trophies he had earned in the Academy. Most of them were for driftball, though there were also a few for tail fighting. Under the bench sat his driftball equipment, neatly stored away in a trunk.

Sabion slammed his hand down on the pad to answer the holocom. He was about to demand to who in _yaolin_ was calling and why they would wake him up at the crack of noon, but he stopped when he saw the face of his caller. It was a face burned into his mind very, very clearly. It was the face of Jaham-Estalan-Forlan.

Sabion bowed his upper torso respectfully and gracefully. His tailblade fell to the ground with much less grace. He was shocked. (Great Leader Jaham, I-)

(This is the third time I have called you, Warrior.)

One of Sabion's heats stopped beating. (I am sorry I-)

(If you think your status as the former captain of Central Academy's driftball team earns you any leniency whatsoever, Warrior, you could not be more mistaken.)

(Of course not, Great Leader! I would never-)

(You talk entirely too much when you should be listening. Or have you deluded yourself into thinking I have called you for a pleasant chat?)

(Of course not, Great Leader. I am sorry-)

(You are still talking.) If Sabion had a jaw, he would have snapped it shut. Instead, he just lowered his stalk eyes.

(Better,) Jaham continued. (Had you been capable of answering your holocom, you would know that you were supposed to be at the scoop of War-Prince Alloran-Semitur-Corass one hour and thirty seven minutes ago.)

_Alloran's scoop? Crangar's Tails_ (May I ask why, Great Leader?)

(No. Go there. Now.) Jaham cut the connection. Sabion sighed and shambled into the sunlight. It was like someone shot a Dracon beam directly into his eyes. All four of them. The call of the Kafit bird might as well have been the screech of a Taxxon.

(If Alloran wants to kill me, this walk will probably do it.)

* * *

><p>Alloran's scoop was a lot more crowded than Sabion expected it to be. Jahar was waiting outside. She looked upset about something. Alludra was nowhere in sight, nor was Alloran. There were three Andalites in the scoop, none of whom were in any way affiliated with the scoop's usual inhabitants as far as Sabion knew.<p>

Calnen-Ceranur-Corran was the one Sabion recognized at first glance. They had gone to the same academy. Calnen had been almost as well liked as Sabion had, though for different reasons. He was widely regarded as the most intelligent Andalite at Central Academy the most prestigious of the five military training schools on the homeworld. Some called him a genius. Sabion wasn't sure about that, but he knew Calnen was a whole lot smarter than him. He had been sent into the intelligence service, Sabion recalled, though there was little need for him with the war ended. Presumably, he had been tossed aside just like Sabion.

Calnen had the typical Eastern build. Easterners were thin and the smallest of the Andalites. His fur was a lighter blue, with only traces of the tan fur common to the other races of Andalite.

The other male took him a moment to recognize. Acario something or other. Though he somehow ended up at Central Academy, he had never graduated. He was one of those Western Andalites, and though Sabion considered himself open minded, Acario fit the stereotype perfectly. He was always inhaling, drinking, or crushing something. He rarely attended classes, didn't show up for exams, and was just generally a nuisance for everyone. When he had finally been thrown out of the Academy, Sabion had made no secret of his joy.

Acario was built like every Westerner Sabion had ever seen. He wasn't much thicker than Calnen, but he was taller. As tall as Sabion himself, in fact. His fur had more grey than tan in it, and the blue parts were darker, too, giving him a dusky appearance.

There was a female there, though Sabion didn't recognize her. She stood stiffly and off off towards the back of the scoop, almost like she was trying not to be noticed. Her main eyes seemed to be directed at the floor, and she was idly scuffing one of her forehooves back and forth through the dirt. Nervous, Sabion thought. Judging by her size, she was a Northern Andalite, like Alloran or Alludra. Northern was a bit of a misnomer, though. Back in ancient times, when the five Andalite races were at war, the Northerners had conquered the central plains and the two races grew together pretty quickly. By the time the war was over, Northern and Central Andalites were one and the same.

Sabion decided to ignore her for the moment. Whatever these Andalties were here for, it was probably important. He turned to Calnen. (Why are we here?)

(Because you slept in,) Calnen answered. (Otherwise, I'm sure we'd be somewhere else by now.)

It was most likely true, so Sabion moved on to his next question. (Where is Alludra? And Alloran?)

Calnen shrugged with his eyes, as eastern Andalites tended to do. Clearly, he did not know.

(Old Killer's probably having a talk with his little girl about being good while daddy's away,) Acario answered.

Sabion ignored him. (When do you think he'll be back, Calnen?)

(No idea,) Calnen answered.

(Ah, I see you haven't changed one bit, Sabby. Still ignoring me as much as you can,) Acario added. He turned to the nervous Andalite Sabion didn't recognize. (See what I mean about the academy types, Estrid? I'd bet your pal Aximili wouldn't have been so nice if he hadn't gotten out a few kilorotes early.)

That name caught Sabion's attention. (What are you talking about?) he grumbled.

(Ah, now you realize I'm here?) Acario asked. (Well, maybe I want to play your game, Sabby.)

(Don't call me that.)

(Or what, you'll thrash me around with that log you call a tail? I can't feel a thing right now anyway, so have your fun. _Prungar_ extract is a great thing. Probably the only worthwhile thing on the whole Taxxon world.)

Sabion glared at him with his main eyes.. (Do you ever stop talking?)

(Not sure. Probably when I black out, though Grach says I like to talk in my sleep.)

Estrid raised her main eyes from the floor to focus on Acario. (Grach? What kind of name is that?) She sounded hesitant, almost like she was afraid to ask.

(Junker,) Acario answered. (Skrit Na, as you scientist types like to call them.)

(I'm more of a chemist than a xenobiologist,) she answered.

(You don't say. I'm something of a chemist myself.)

Estrid stood up a little straighter, turning all four eyes on Acario. (Oh? What university do you attend? I studied under Arbat-Elivat-Estoni at Central University Three.)

(I didn't exactly learn at one of the Universities,) Acario answered evasively.

(He did not even graduate from the Academy,) Calnen added.

Acario shot him a glare. (We can't all be geniuses, now can we? I've got other talents.)

(_Sabion_ graduated.) After a pause, Calnen added, (No offense, Sabion.) Sabion shrugged his stalks. He knew his strengths and weaknesses. Were it not for driftball and tail-fighting, he would have failed out years ago.

Acario turned back to Estrid. (Arbat; isn't that Alloran's brother?)

Estrid's stalk eyes rose a bit in surprise. (Not many people know that.)

(I've got other talents,) Acario repeated.

(And chemistry is one of them?) she asked.

(You could say that.)

(Where did you learn? Was it a relative, or...)

(Well, I'm of a learn-by-doing sort of Andalite.)

Calnen rolled his main eyes. (He used to run a _frahnch_ laboratory out of his quarters at the Academy. It was, among other reasons, why they threw him out.)

(Oh.) Estrid's eyes dropped back to the floor. Acario glared at Calnen. He looked like he was about to say something, but a loud voice cut off whatever he was about to say.

(Acario-Merron-Oeda,) Came Alloran's voice. The grizzled old War-Prince entered his scoop, shooting a cold glance at Sabion with three eyes. Alludra was close behind him. She nodded to Estrid but seemed completely unaware of Calnen and Sabion. Alloran's tailblade rocketed over his head. For a moment, Sabion thought he was going to cut Acario in half. But then Alloran's tail stopped, halfway between the two of them. Acario slapped his own tailblade against Alloran's. The Andalite version of a bearhug.

If that wasn't shocking for Sabion, what Acario said next would have been. (Heya, Uncle Ally. Fancy meeting you here.) Acario's stalk eyes darted over Alloran's shoulder. (Alludra. You got better looking.)

(And you haven't changed a bit, Acario,) Alludra answered.

(Lucky you.)

Something about that angered Sabion. Acario was a loser, a drug addict, a dropout. So why was he being treated as an old friend and Sabion, captain of the driftball team, the most well-liked Andalite in his Academy, being treated like an outsider or a piece of furniture? (Why are we here?) Sabion burst out.

Alloran turned all four eyes on Sabion, and the Warrior backed up a bit. (We are here,) Alloran answered, (to discuss our mission.)

Calnen nodded. (I thought the War Council had something in the works. Mission to where?)

This time, Alloran turned all of his eyes on him. (Kelbrid Space.)


	2. Chapter 2

(Kelbrid Space?) Sabion echoed. His stalk eyes drooped down below his main eyes in an expression of shock. He had heard before that Alloran had gone mad, but hadn't quite believed it. Temperamental, yes, and violent, but not delusional. Yet here he was claiming that they were to be sent to the one place that no Andalite dared go.

(Raise your eyes, Warrior!) Alloran commanded. (You look ridiculous.)

(I think he looks quite appropriate,) Calnen answered. That was not surprising, considering he had the same ocular expression as Sabion.

Acario had one eye raised in a lopsided grin. (What, you didn't know? Guess the class genius and Captain Perfect didn't get the memo.)

Alloran ignored him and continued. (We have been given this mission by the highest authority because it is of the utmost importance. And it must, at all costs, remain absolutely secret. Any incursion by Andalites into Kelbrid Space will spark a war for which we are not prepared. For this reason, the War Counsel has disavowed any knowledge of this mission. They have even had it erased from their minds. We are the only ones who know.)

(What are going to be dong there?) Calnen asked. He was recovering from his shock a lot more quickly than Sabion was.

Alloran set a small holovisor on the table. An image of an Andalite cruiser appeared. And, next to it, was an image of perhaps the most famous Andalite alive. (Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill has, since the end of the Yeerk War, been hunting the Blade ship formerly in the possession of Esplin 9466, which contains the final remnants of the Yeerk military forces.)

(Why waste-) Sabion began.

(And an Escafil Device,) Alloran interrupted. That silenced Sabion. (Approximately one hectorote ago, we stopped receiving communications from him.)

(Do you think-) Calnen started.

(That is not the end of it,) Alloran continued, rolling over Calnen's speculation. (Approximately three rotes ago, several humans of note went missing.)

That seemed irrelevant to Sabion. (Why would we care-)

(Two of these humans were named Jake Berenson and Marco...,) Alloran trailed off.

After a pause, Alludra asked, (Does Marco have a family name?)

(Yes, of course.)

There was another pause. Alludra turned all four eyes on her father. (And that is...?)

(We were never formally introduced, you know,) the old War-Prince growled. (The circumstances of our various meetings were...unpleasant.)

(It was not in the mission briefing?)

Alloran sighed. (Yes, it was. But it was difficult to concentrate with a certain drunken Gedd screaming at our Scoop.)

That stopped any objections Sabion might have had. Those were two of the Animorphs. The two most famous, for that matter. (At the same time, an experimental Yeerk ship also went missing.)

Calnen twitched a stalk eye. (You think they-)

(Of course they did,) Alludra interrupted. (You're supposed to be the smart one? It's obvious what happened. Prince Aximili disappeared. His friends stole a Yeerk ship and went looking for him.)

Alloran shot his daughter a three-eyed glare. The forth eye was still scanning the area due to the force of unbreakable habit. (That is what the War Council has surmised. According to what data we could gather, Prince Aximili was at the edges of Kelbrid Space when he disappeared. We believe the Kelbrid have captured him.)

(Why do you think it was the Kelbrid?) Sabion asked. (It could have been the Yeerks. The Blade ship.)

Alloran snorted. (I know that Blade ship far better than anyone in the galaxy. And there is little chance that it would have succeeded in battle against Prince Aximili's cruiser. That was an advanced model, one that was designed to stand up to a pair of Yeerk Pool ships. It was designed to go anywhere in the galaxy and withstand anything in the search for the final Yeerk remnants. The Blade ship, by comparison, is an out-of-date pile of junk held together by the efforts of fools and pure evil. The Yeerks could not have done it.)

Calnen started talking again. (But by kidnapping him, the Kelbrid-)

(Would start a war with us, yes, we know,) Alloran interrupted yet again. (And if they were ever going to do so, now would be the time. We are very weak from the Yeerk War. Our allies, what few we have, are decimated or unable to be of any real use. The Kelbrid have always been a warlike people. If they were ever going to act on their urge, now would be the perfect time to do so. And if they could eliminate our national hero before they even had to do battle with him, so much the better.)

(So we're going to go after him,) Acario butted in.

Alloran only glared at him with one eye. (Acario is correct. Before they wiped their minds clean, the Counsel prepared a new ship for us, as well as some other bits of technology. The ship cannot be traced to the Andalite people. It is not a type ever seen before. Only this one was ever produced, the plans were destroyed, and the scientists who created it underwent a very thorough memory wipe with one exception.) He gestured to Estrid, with his tail.

(Estrid-Corill-Darrath, the only scientist who still remembers that the ship even exists, will be coming with us. You are to direct all technological inquiries to her. When we go to the ship, she will brief you on the various items the War Counsel has provided for us.)

(Why us?) Sabion asked. For once, Alloran didn't interrupt him, so he continued. (If this is such an important and secret mission, why not send the best the Andalite people have to offer? Calnen and I graduated from the academy three kilorotes ago, but we're far from experienced. And he gestured towards Acario. (He never even came close to graduating. Why us?)

(I've got no idea why you're invited,) Acario answered. (But for my part, everyone who's been to Kelbrid Space, raise your tail.) Acario did so. Everyone else, of course, did not.

(You lie,) Sabion accused. (No Andalite has ever ventured into Kelbrid Space.)

(You still got that habit of believing everything they teach you in the academy, I see,) Acario said dismissively. (I _have_ been to Kelbrid Space. I spent three kilorotes there after a mishap with some Rakam-Garoo left stranded in their sector. Nice place, if you don't mind hiding all the time. 'Course they wouldn't know an Andalite if one slapped 'em in the face, thank Crangar.)

(What Acario means to say,) Alloran added, (is that he is the only individual in this entire sector of the galaxy who is familiar with Kelbrid Space. His expertise there are unmatched by anyone else in our race.)

(Okay, so you have your guide. Why the rest of us?) Calnen asked.

Alloran turned his main eyes on Calnen and one stalk eye on Sabion. (The two of you are in a unique position.)

(Not very unique if we're both in it,) Calnen pointed out.

(You are expendable.)

(Is that a threat?) Sabion demanded.

(It's a fact, you Gedd,) Alludra answered before her father could.

Alloran took over from there. (You, Calnen, had the highest exam scores that we have seen in the last five kilorotes. Yet, because of the sudden lack of need for strategic military skill, you have found a low post in the intelligence bureau. You are very useful, but if you should suddenly disappear, very few would miss you. And you, Sabion, as much as it disgusts me to say this, had the highest tail-fighting scores since Ajaht-Litsom-Esth. Again, you are potentially useful, but if no one ever sees you again, very few will blink an eye.)

(I am not-)

(Yes, Warrior, you are. The only reason you retained your post in the military was because according to your exams, you were not fit for any other line of work except for perhaps that of a driftball player. It was decided that you would be more useful as a potential meat shield.)

(What about her?) Calnen asked, indicating Estrid. (If she's such a great scientist-)

(She's dead,) Acario interrupted.

Sabion just started at him. (I am certain that she is alive.)

(Not according to the government,) Acario answered smugly.

Alloran sighed. (Approximately five kilorotes ago, Estrid was part of a team sent to Earth under a rogue Intelligence agent. His goal was to release a biological weapon that would kill the Yeerks. It had the potential side effect of also killing their hosts. Before going on his mission, he altered the records to state that all those who went with him on this mission were deceased in an accident. Although not precisely a secret, the fact that Estrid is alive has been kept quiet.)

(And you are going to be the one leading this mission?) Calnen asked of Alloran.

(Yes. I am just as expendable as the rest of you. A skilled leader willing to fight against ridiculous odds and do unconscionable things who can easily be cast aside without a second thought. I am the ideal commander for such a mission.)

(So it's going to be the five of us?) Sabion asked.

(Six,) Alludra answered. (I am coming, too.)

(Why you?) Calnen asked. (Are you secretly an assassin or something?)

(She is coming,) Alloran answered, (because I know very well what happened the last time I left her unsupervised.)

Alludra sighed. (Father isn't the diplomatic type. If we're going to be dealing with alien races, someone has to keep him in check. If there is anyone else here who wants to deal with his rage issues, speak up. No? What about Acario's drug problems? Trying to keep Sabion from being an idiot?) She shook her head. (You lot wouldn't last a decirote without me.)


	3. Chapter 3

They flew to the launch site in k_afit_ morph. Due to the secretive and illegal nature of their mission, none of them had been permitted to return to their homes to gather anything. Sabion was greatly distressed by this fact. He could not imagine going anywhere without his hologram of Baradon-Nurmeon-Palloros or his own driftball equipment. But there was no chance to pop off and gather what he wanted. There was nothing to do but follow Alloran to the launch site.

The ship looked something like what two Dome ships might have if they had collided. At first glance, it was just a large bubble about twenty yards across. Through the transparent outer layer, Sabion could see an almost perfect replica of the homeworld's landscape. And, as he looked closer, he saw that it was divided into four quadrants, each one resembling a particular quadrant of the homeworld. Perhaps it had been designed to make a diverse group of Andalites feel at home. Or perhaps it had just been an artistic touch by Estrid or one of the other designers.

A large, rectangular shaft extended from the top and bottom of the bubble, and from the left and right. Mounted on the end of each shaft was a duel Shredder battery. Along the length of the shafts were engine nacelles. The design confused Sabion. Estrid, though, did him the courtesy of explaining before he could ask.

(Each of these shafts is divided into two levels,) she began. (Crew quarters, command deck, medical bay, and such are all in the shafts. The bubble serves as a feeding ground and observation deck and is also designed to ward off the effects of homesickness.)

Alloran snorted at that, giving a clear indication of what he felt about warriors with homesickness.

(Weapons,) Estrid continued, (are at the end of each shaft. We designed them with a full range of motion, so the ship should be able to defend itself from attack from any angle. Engines are on the sides of the shafts, which allow the ship to move in any direction at all. Sideways, up and down, even backwards, though none of those terms apply to this ship. Every direction is forwards.)

(Very sensibly designed,) Calnen noted.

(It's a giant bubble) Acario muttered. (Practical or not, it's not going to get the alien girls running to meet us.)

(What use does an Andalite have for alien females?) Sabion demanded haughtily.

(Alien males, if that's more your thing,) Acario responded. (And believe me, you'd be surprised what you'd do, stranded alone on some random world with only aliens for company. And hey, it's not like anyone would have to find out.)

Alludra shook her head. (Aliens, Acario? Are you really that desperate?)

(Without your emptiness, Alludra, I have to fill my own.)

For a moment, Sabion was shocked. Hadn't Acario called Alloran his uncle? That would have made him related to Alludra. She chuckled, though, giving Sabion the impression it had been a joke. Rather poor in taste, he thought.

(Have you had a medical screening recently, Acario?) Estrid asked. (Crangar knows what sort of diseases you could acquire that way and I would not want you spreading them around my ship.)

Alloran sighed. (I should have taken Jahar's suggestion and removed your ability to do that years ago.)

(The ship is entirely self sufficient,) Estrid continued. (It creates its own oxygen, recycles all water used on it, and utilizes the waste treatment system to fertilize the grass in the sphere.)

(That isn't something I wanted to think about,) Acario muttered.

Calnen flared his ears. (One who would mate with alien females is disgusted by simple agriculture?)

(Hey, if you like the idea of running through your own waste, that's your fetish. But me, I don't like the idea that I'm eating my own defecation. Or worse, Alloran's.)

(Enough!) Alloran said, cutting them off. (Fighters, Estrid?)

(Only one, War-Prince, stored in the Southern shaft,) Estrid responded. (If you would follow me inside, I will show you what the Counsel has issued us for this mission and show you all around the ship.)

A doorway opened in the shaft in front of them. As they walked inside, gravity shifted so that what had once been the wall of the shaft was now the floor. It was disorienting at first, but they all got the hang of it quickly. They followed Estrid to the command deck. There were a few objects on a table. Some of them Sabion recognized from his Academy days, but others were foreign to him.

One of these foreign objects appeared to be six leather loops, each with a small, blue diamond-shaped gem on one side. Estrid nodded to it. (We call that a cetsu.)

Sabion pulled his fingers through the rings, securing the cetsu on his left arm. He took a few test swings with it. The sapphires would probably hurt if they connected with a target. But Sabion was a Southern Andalite, and they, unlike the rest of their cousins, had strong arms. The weapon would be useless to the others. (It does not seem very...effective as a weapon.)

(That is because it isn't a weapon,) Estrid answered. (Line up two of the crystals.) Sabion did so. They turned a paler blue in color and Sabion noticed the air shimmering a bit in a circular area in front of his fist. He lined up more of the crystals and the disk of shimmering air got larger until, when he lined up all six, it was as tall as he was.

Alloran moved suddenly. With is tail, he flipped a Shredder off of the table and into his hand. Then he fired at Sabion. The Warrior only had time to turn and bring his fist in front of him before the beam reached him. It struck the disk of shimmering air and the disk flared blue. Lines of electricity crackled across it. Then it disappeared again in the blink of an eye.

Alloran set the Shredder back on the table. (Energy shield. Clever, Estrid.)

(One of the wonderful things about the cetsu is that matter can go through but energy cannot,) Estrid explained.

(What's so wonderful about that?) Sabion demanded. (A Hork-bajir could still stick a blade in me.)

Calnen understood immediately. (You can stand behind your shield, put the nose of your Shredder through, and shoot at your enemies wile they are not able to shoot back. A great advantage.) He turned to Alloran. (And what if it hadn't been a shield?)

(Then Sabion would be taking a nap,) Alludra answered. (What toys do you have, Estrid?)

(Estrid,) Sabion began, (my hand feels as bit numb. Is that normal?)

Estrid bobbed her tail. (Most of the ordinance we've designed for this mission utilizes body heat. Using any of them extensively will cause numbness in certain areas. This next weapon is the same way.) She took what appeared to be a small, steel bracelet from the table. (Your tail, Warrior Sabion.)

Sabion lowered his tail. She snapped the bracelet around it. (It is thought activated,) she explained. (When activated, it will sheathe your tailblade in a deadly energy field. It would be like having a beam from a Shredder instead of a blade. Very useful for cutting through things, and an excellent advantage in a melee fight. Like the cetsu, if utilizes body heat, so using it too extensively will cause your tail to go numb. You should be sure not to overuse any of these weapons, as doing so will result in you drawing too much body heat and eventually freezing internally. During the testing of this one, I lost feeling in my tail two rotes.)

She picked something else up from the table. It appeared to be a green crystal about half the size of an Andalite palm. It was set in a thin steel hoop, around which was the same leather-like material of which the cetsu rings were made. (Your arm, Warrior.)

Sabion held out his arm and Estrid connected him to the weapon. It looped behind his elbow, with the crystal in his palm. It was a complex glove-like apparatus, the purpose of which eluded Sabion. (A Shredder,) Estrid explained once he was hooked up.

(Why is this so elaborate?) Sabion demanded.

(All of these weapons are designed to morph with you,) Estrid told him. (We learned that one is able to morph things that are form-fitting and, with some practice, some materials that are a bit looser. With some practice, you will be able to keep all of these weapons whenever you morph. So, for example, if you must morph to _kafit_ bird to escape a situation, you will not have to abandon your arsenal to do so.)

(That would have saved me a bundle,) Acario muttered.

(Why body heat?) Alludra asked.

(It is the only power source we could be absolutely certain was obtainable in Kelbrid Space,) Estrid explained. (It is constantly accessible and quickly replenished. And safe.)

(If you ignore the possibility of killing yourself by overusing your weapons,) Calnen muttered. (Still,) he continued, pulling one of the Shredders onto his arm, (I suppose this is far better than the previous alternatives.)

Alloran began putting his equipment on, as did Alludra, Estrid, and Acario. (Everything looks good in a laboratory,) Alloran commented, activating the tail bracelet. A sheath of green energy, faintly transparent and crisscrossed with lines like lightning, enveloped his tailblade. (But how well does it hold up in combat?)

Estrid turned to Sabion. (Let us see. Care for some sparring, Warrior?)

Sabion looked around the room. They would not have him fight one of the females, of course. Calnen would not be a challenge. AlloranSabion knew that, sober, he could take the old War-Prince. The only unknown was Acario, the one who would most likely be chosen to fight him. Sabion smiled.

(Of course, Estrid. Who will I be fighting?) he turned all four eyes on Acario.

It was all Acario could do not to laugh when Estrid answered, (Me, of course.)


	4. Chapter 4

Sabion tried to take Estrid seriously. He tried very, very hard not to underestimate his opponent. He constantly reminded himself that she designed these weapons. She had had a lot of practice with them while he had just gotten them. He reminded himself that he had not been in an actual fight or sparring match since his final tail-fighting exam in the Academy.

No matter how hard he tried, though, he could not seem to overcome the fact that standing before him was a Andalite a little over two-thirds his size.

(I will try not to hurt you,) he told her. They were in the sphere, in the quadrant designed to mimic the western landscape. This mimicry and division had a very practical purpose. Because of the ship's design, terms like up, down, left, right, upper, lower, etc. were no longer applicable. Instead, they referred to everything in terms of north, south, east, and west. The division of the landscape helped to remind them which quadrant corresponded to what part of the ship.

(That will not be much of an issue,) Estrid replied offhandedly. She and Sabion stood, facing each other. Acario, Alloran, Alludra, and Calnen stood a slight distance away from them.

Sabion flicked his tail and sent the signal to the bracelet, sheathing his tailblade in energy. It was set to stun, which would help to prevent him from harming her. Estrid flicked her tail, igniting her blade as well. Alloran looked from one to the other, making sure each looked ready. Then, he nodded. (Begin!)

Estrid did not strike any faster than Sabion had expected. He assumed she would be fast, females usually were. What he didn't expect was threw precisely aligned blow she threw at his lower heart. He danced to the side but she changed the direction of her swing at the last moment, sweeping upwards instead of driving sideways. The energy sheath on her tail, set to stun, felt like ice sweeping across his shoulder.

(Twenty one _djaliksh_ on the girl,) Acario said quickly to Alloran. Alloran did not respond. Alludra looked away. She knew better than to gamble with Acario.

Calnen shrugged with his eyes. (The _djaliksh_ is the standard monetary unit of the Rakam-Garoo, correct?)

(Just the Rakam, actually. The Garoo moved on to _sinjh_ crystals last kilorote.)

(What good would _djaliksh_ do me, then?)

(You can always trade them to an Anati collector for some _olami_.)

Sabion was forced on the defensive, a position he did not like. Estrid was very fast. Sabion was just barely fast enough to avoid being stunned into submission by her whip of a tail. His movements consisted mostly of sidesteps and parries with his own tailblade.

(I thought they were supposed to be testing the weapons,) Alludra remarked to her father. (Why doesn't Sabion use his shield?)

(He always was a slow learner,) Alloran remarked. Then, to Sabion, he added, (Use the cetsu, Warrior.)

(It wouldn't work,) Sabion responded. (She's using her tailblade. The cetsu allows matter through. It only stops energy.)

Alloran sighed. (What's _around_ her tailblade, you Gedd?)

Sabion paused for a moment, embarrassed. That was long enough for Estrid to slap him across the upper torso with a stunning blow. Sabion stumbled back. Estrid struck again but this time Sabion raised his cetsu, two of his fingers aligned. Her energy-sheathed tailblade stopped when it connected with the energy field. Sabion felt a slight jolt in his arm but it was nothing too terrible.

He pushed back hard, throwing her tailblade away. It would not have been possible for anyone but a southern Andalite. He countered with his own tailblade. Suddenly, the tables were turned; or, at least, evened out. Both were making full use of their shields now, deflecting blows as often as they dodged or parried them. Sabion gave Estrid's shield a vicious pounding, but the cetsu held up against everything the Warrior could bring to bear against it. Estrid would give out before the shield did.

Sabion forced her back across the landscape. Her arm was almost fully drained of power and now she had little choice left but to retreat. If she had just lowered her tailblade, he could have stopped. But until she signaled defeat, he really didn't have a choice but to keep going. (You're relying too much on that shield,) Alloran called to her.

(Who's side are you on?) Alludra asked him.

(I am on _my_ side. The better all of you fight, the more likely it is that I don't have to burn your corpses.)

Estrid dispensed with her shield, making full use of her tail. She was attacking with a fury now but she still couldn't get past Sabion's guard. The shield provided a definite advantage. Estrid was very good, nearly as good as he was. But with the added defense, Sabion would be victorious. Of course, her tail was not Estrid's only weapon.

She raised her arm, palm out. A green beam of light lanced towards Sabion. He aligned all of his fingers, shielding himself form the Shredder beam. It was absorbed harmlessly by the shield, though Sabion felt his arm go slightly numb at that. Estrid was pushing him back now, alternating between Shredder blasts and swipes of her tail.

Acario nodded to Alloran. (She's good. Sabion was the best at the Academy, and I'd say she's at least as good. Where'd she learn to fight like that?)

Alloran shook his head. (I couldn't say. I wish I had a teacher like that for the rest of you. She is making me look like a one-armed Gedd.)

Sabion returned fire. Estrid absorbed two beams before her she could no longer use her shield. Instead of submitting, though, she fired back even more, keeping Sabion pinned down beneath a barrage of Shredder fire. She advanced as she fired, forcing him to backpedal. His shield would not last him much longer. Already, he had lost all feeling in that entire arm. The numbness was creeping into his shoulder and chest, which was a serious problem. It was possible for that to stop one of his hearts.

Sabion decreased the number of finger she aligned, from six to five to for to three to two until at last, he did not hold his shield anymore. Estrid was very close now. Close enough that the flashback from the Shredder on her palm would stun them both. She struck with her tail.

Sabion raised his shield one last time. She was close enough now that he could strike. It would be all the opening he needed. One good blow to the chest would end this. He smiled as her energy-sheathed tailblade met his shield. She smiled as, with a thought, she turned off the energy sheath. Her tailblade, now simple matter, went through the shield like it was air, cutting deep into his arm. Had the appendage not been so numb, Sabion would have screamed.

His tailblade smashed her in the chest. The numbness from the blow, combined with her exhaustion from the fight, was enough to knock her to her knees. Sabion rose and tapped his tailblade against the side of her head, symbolizing his victory.

(Twenty one _djaliksh_,) Calnen said to Acario.

Acario shrugged his stalks. Only the stalks. His eyes remained motionless. It was a peculiar western gesticulation of which other races did not seem to be capable. (Sure, but you should know they went out of currency with the Rakam about the same time as they did with the Garoo.)

Sabion's feeling of victory fled quickly when Alludra rushed past him and helped Estrid to her feet. (That was amazing, Estrid! I'll bet you could give my brother a good thrashing. Asculan's always been too confident. You need to teach me some of that.)

Alloran scuffed a hoof. (I _have _been training you, if you recall.)

(Yes, but not like _that_!)

Estrid began to morph to _kafit_ bird. Sabion, to heal his wounds, did the same. Alloran nodded. (The weapons are effective, Estrid. We will all have to familiarize ourselves with them.)

(Where did you learn to fight?) Sabion asked Estrid as he demorphed. Alloran, Alludra, and Acario turned and entered the shaft, to go survey other parts of the ship. Calnen remained behind.

(My brother,) Estrid explained. (And I got a few quick lessons on Earth. One learns fast among Animorphs.)

(Were they really as good as everyone says?) Calnen asked. (I mean, was it simple luck that they defeated the Yeerks?)

(They are far more intelligent than they appeared at first,) Estrid answered. (They succeeded in fooling us effortlessly. The Andalite who was in charge, Arbat, was one of the highest Intelligence officers in the government. He was one of the most intelligent our race has. They fooled him without stopping to think twice about it. Yes, Calnen, they are as good as you have heard. Perhaps better. I am not even certain our mission is necessary. If they have gone to rescue Prince Aximili from whatever fate has befallen him, they will not likely need our help. And if they have come across something that has defeated even them, we will not have much chance against it.)

(Were they great warriors?) Sabion asked.

(The best I have ever seen,) she admitted, seeming almost embarrassed. (Unorthodox and erratic at times, but they were incredible. Brave, ferocious, and intelligent. And it seemed that nothing was too insane for them to try, or too difficult for them to do.)

(Why don't you tell us everything you know about them?) Calnen suggested. (It might prove useful.)

So Estrid did.

Acario, Alloran, and Alludra were surveying the crew quarters. Alloran's were, of course the largest. As for the rest of themif Acario hadn't gotten over his racial claustrophobia years ago, he would have been forced to do so now. (Cozy in here,) he remarked to Alludra as the two of them stood in the room that would be hers. (I think I rather like it.)

Alloran shook his head. (A word, Acario?)

Acario left Alludra in her quarters, the door closing shut behind him like a section of the wall scabbing over. (Yeah, uncle?)

(There is something I want you to do for me.)

(I'm flattered, but-)

(Not now, Acario.)

Acario shrugged his stalks. (Alright, what is it?)

Alloran did not see anyone coming but kept his thought speech private just in case. (You are Alludra's only friend.)

(I wouldn't say-)

(You wouldn't, but you are. The other females despise her for her past actions. And the malesI am sure I do not have to tell you about the males.) Alloran shook his head. (You were the only true friend she had while I was gone. You were a terrible influence, yes, and you led her down some paths that I should cut your throat for. But you kept an eye on her until you left.)

(I prefer the term fled.)

(We will go with left. Jahar told me you were like a nephew to her, the one male who could be trusted in our Scoop. That's why I ask this of you.)

(You want me to kill Sabby?)

(Not kill him. Just watch him. I am not sure if Alludra has any intentions towards him or not, but I know very well what _he_ has in mind. I was willing to more or less ignore him on the homeworld, he was harmless there. But here, with few other options, Alludra might change her opinion of him.)

(Maybe it's just a father thing, but I think you're getting too worked up over this, Uncle. So what if they do the dance of eight legs?)

Acario stumbled forward as the flat of Alloran's tailblade smashed into the back of his head. (I don't want her falling back into her old ways, Acario,) Alloran half-shouted. He regained control a moment later and continued in a softer tone. (But I cannot watch her all the time. Promise me you will help me.)

(Yeah, yeah, sure. Not like I've got anything better to do than foal-sit Cousin Ally anyway. Although I should probably keep an eye on that Calnen character, too. Never hurts, you know?)

Alloran nodded. (Of course. And one more thing.)

(Yeah?)

(I know what you talked Estrid into hiding on this ship for you. And I noticed that tree in the sphere. If you don't think I recognize a _illsipar_ tree when I see one, you have severely underestimated me. I know that trying to make you stop would be pointless. It might even do more harm than good. You aren't very useful if withdraw incapacitates you. Just keep it to yourself. I don't want you corrupting my warriors.)

Acario's eyes drooped. (Not even a little bit?)

(No.)

(What about Estrid? She's kind of cute, don't you think?)

Alloran paused. (She is young enough to be my daughter. Acario, I won't forbid you to do anything I know you would not listen anyway, no matter what I threatened you with.)

(It's like you've known me all my life.)

(Just keep your vices to yourself.)

(You take all the fun out of life, you know that?)


	5. Chapter 5

Acario was in the simulation chamber. Technically, he was supposed to be honing his skills. In reality, he just found that it was a lot of fun to shoot at holographic enemies. It was relaxing, a great way to kill time, and an even better way to avoid Sabion and Calnen. The fact that, if he ever wanted to, he could pull up the time records and show that he had spent more time training on the mission than Sabion had was just an added bonus. Acario was very fond of extra bonuses.

Usually, no one would interrupt him in the chamber. Alludra spent most of her time either with her father or practicing her tail-fighting with Estrid. Sabion, of course, tried his best to be present at the latter. Acario chuckled every time he thought about how clueless Sabion was. He'd gotten through the Academy on his tail-fighting skills and his driftball talent. At least Calnen had intelligence to back him up, even if he didn't have any personality whatsoever.

Alloran was, of course, never shy about interrupting Acario's 'training', but he rarely found any reason to do so. Sabion and Calnen did what they could to avoid him, and he knew why. Back in the Academy, they had been the popular Andalites, the ones everyone liked. Calnen was brilliant and Sabion was the athlete. Hehe was the one who sold drugs and dropped out to travel the galaxy with Skrit Na, Rakam, Maktar, Ularus, and any other race who would give him a ride.

Estrid seemed almost afraid of him sometimes. He was sure Sabion and Calnen had been filling her head with all sorts of stories about him. And if she spent any time talking to Alludra, those stories would probably be confirmed. This was one of those days, though, when she ventured to speak with him.

His simulation shut itself off while he was in the middle of a session. That annoyed him until he saw Estrid standing by the controls. His supplies wouldn't last the entire voyage, he was sure, so he needed to find other ways to occupy his time; making friends seemed like a good idea. He was already more than familiar with Alloran and Alludra, of course, and Sabion and Calnen wanted nothing to do with him.. Estrid on the other hand…

(Now see, shutting that off was your first mistake,) he greeted her.

(I am sorry.) She paused, her main eyes falling to the floor. When he first met her back at Alloran's Scoop, he thought she was nervous. Now he knew she was just shy; at least when science wasn't involved. Considering that he spent a good deal of his life with loud, pushy aliens and even louder, pushier Andalites, it was refreshing. And, he admitted to himself, rather cute. (I felt I needed to speak with you.)

(Funny, I was just thinking the same thing. I just meant that if you had stood there for a bit longer, you would have gotten to see me all nice and sweaty. Isn't that what you females like these days?)

Estrid scuffed one of her rear hooves, a gesture of embarrassment.

(What is on your mind?) Acario continued. Then he added, (Aside from thoughts of me all hot and sweaty, that is.)

She scuffed her hoof again. Definitely shy. Definitely cute. (Is it true what you said, back in Alloran's Scoop?)

(Probably not.)

(Oh. Maybe I should go.) She turned to leave.

(Now hold on there, I did not say it was _definitely_ a lie. What part were you talking about?) Acario asked. (The chemistry thing?)

(No, no. The part about you spending three kilorotes in Kelbrid Space.)

(Ah, that. Yeah, that was a lie.)

(Oh. I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupt you for nothing. I should...) She trailed off, turning to leave.

(I was only there for two.)

That stopped her. (I was hoping I could ask you about it. The Kelbrid, their technology, anything that might be relevant.)

(Did Old Butcher not give you a file with all my info in it?)

(He did, but I thought I might learn more talking to you.)

(Congratulations, _namor_, you are the first person to ever say that.)

(_Namor_?)

(It's a compliment we use over on the west side,) Acario explained. (See, over there, we have some different kinds of grasses that don't grow anywhere else on the homeworld. So hard to grow that you didn't even manage to duplicate most of them in the bubble. Now, the sweetest of them is this red type of grass, _namor_. Do not ask me what makes it red, I have no idea. I just know it's the best thing I have ever put under me.)

(So when you call me _namor._..)

(It just means I think you're pretty sweet.)

(Thank you, then ... I think.) She paused, not sure how to continue. She probably was not used to this sort of thing. Considering that she studied under Arbat, who disappeared kilorotes ago, she must have been specially educated and probably hadn't interacted with a lot of males. Or maybe not with a lot of Andalites in general, for that matter.. (About Kelbrid Space...)

(Oh yeah, fun place to be, as long as no one there knows that the fact that you are breathing their air is illegal enough to start a trans-galactic war. Whenever anyone asked me what I was, I told them I was a Hooloovoo.)

(What is a Hooloovoo?)

(A hyperintelligent shade of the color blue,) Acario answered. (It is not completely untrue. Except for maybe the blue part. I think I am much more of a gray.) He decided not to add that he had stolen that lie from an Earth book called _The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ which, despite being written by a human named Douglas Adams who had very little actual knowledge of hitchhiking across the galaxy, had proven to be remarkably applicable to doing just that. While it provided no information on the various worlds and races of the galaxy, it certainly helped one to become mentally and emotionally prepared for whatever may happen.

(And that worked?)

(Of course not. But after they realized that I was not going to tell them anything different, they usually stopped asking. Stick to a lie long enough and beings are usually willing to accept it as truth simply because it is not worth arguing over.)

(I suppose that is one of the reasons why we Andalites-)

(I have a Dome ship back at my Scoop,) Acario interrupted.

(What?)

(I have a Dome ship. It's at my scoop. I painted it red,) Acario responded.

(What are you-)

(I like to use it to go to other planets and abduct large marine animals.)

(You possess no such thing.)

(Sure I do! I painted it myself.)

(You did not!)

(It has a pool where I keep whales.)

(You-) Estrid cut herself off. (You are trying to force me to agree with your lie, thus proving the point that Andalites are no different from other races in that respect. I will not fall for it, Acario.)

(Well, you caught on faster than Sabby did. Although I think that's because he actually believed me.)

(You are distracting me from what I originally came here for.)

(It is a talent of mine,) Acario acknowledged. (But like I said earlier, everything I know was in the file Uncle Ally sent around. And you are probably the only one who read it. And maybe Alludra, if she plans to do the talking with the natives.)

(Why do you say that?)

(Alloran is the one who wrote it up from my info, so he probably didn't bother reading it afterward. I couldn't be bothered to read my own report, and Sabby and Calnen would not trust anything I tell them. Of the six of us, that leaves you and Alludra as the only ones who actually might have read the report. I have probably forgotten all of the important information anyway. Unless you want to know where you can get some _x'clesta_ juice.)

(I am afraid I do not even know what _x'clesta_ juice is.)

(Well, it so happens I have a bottle or four in my quarters.)

Estrid took a small step backwards. (I do not think War-Prince Alloran would approve of that, Acario.)

(Call it a scientific inquiry,) Acario suggested.

(I do not think that would be wise.) Estrid took another step back.

Acario responded by stepping forwards. (We are young. We are _supposed_ to be foolish.) Estrid was backing towards the wall, though she didn't realize it. All four of her eyes were on Acario now.

(Acario...)

(What is the worst thing that could happen?)

(I can think of several things.) Her back was to the wall now. With her hands clasped in front of her and her tail twitching, she looked terrified. She was even trembling slightly. Acario took a step back.

(Hey now, it's alright. Just a friendly offer. No means no; even I get that. You ever change your mind, though, it's a particularly nice vintage. The Dolormen who sold it to me assured me - ) he felt a sharp pain in the side of his head.

(Leave the poor girl alone, you Gedd. Can't you see she's terrified?) Alludra demanded, pulling him away by his ear. (Sorry about Acario,) she apologized .(Males think with three organs, and Acario possesses neither hearts nor or a brain.)

(Yes, but that has led me to develop the third one to Crangarian propor - ) he cut off again, crying out as Alludra pulled harder,

(By which, of course, he means mythical,) Alludra added, dragging him into the hallway. Estrid elected to remain inside the room until they were both gone. Alludra didn't release his ear until on the other end of the ship.

* * *

><p>Several minutes later, Estrid was still in the simulation room, shaking a little bit. She had heard stories of what the warriors did to each other out in deep space but had assumed it was just a joke told by the other civilians. She certainly didn't expect any such invitation to be extended to her.<p>

(Estrid.)

Estrid jumped, her tailblade snapping into position. It was only Alloran, though. She lowered her blade. (I am sorry, War-Prince. I am just a little shaken.)

Alloran nodded. (Alludra told me what happened. I suppose I should have warned you about Acario. He can be impulsive, inconsiderate, crude, and downright stupid.)

(However...?)

(However what?)

(I expected you to add some of his redeeming qualities.)

(If you find any, be sure to let me know,) Alloran sighed. (It was foolish of him to pressure you like that. You could have cut him up six different ways before he realized you weren't interested.)

(I am surprised to hear you say such a thing,) Estrid admitted. (Most of the men I have met - particularly those in your position - disregard my tail fighting skills.)

Alloran snorted. (I'll admit that in my younger days, I would have been as bad as all the rest. I have been shown time and time again how stupid that was. One of the Animorphs, Rachel, was female, and one of the greatest warriors I have ever known. I watched when she gave up her life in one final battle to end this war once and for all. After seeing that, I can never think of any female as being unequal to any male.)

Alloran folded his arms behind his upper torso and began pacing around the chamber. (Earth. There is something about that planet that changes people. When Elfangor came back from Earth, he was a different person. Far different from the frightened child he once was. Earth changed Aximili, too, and it changed me.)

(Maybe it is not Earth. Maybe it is something else.)

(It could be the humans.)

(No. Before working on this ship, I was with a team studying the movement of E. particles-)

(E. particles?) Alloran interrupted.

(Short for Ellimistic Particles, a form of energy that we still do not understand much about. Sario was the first scientist to take note of them. They were central to her research just before she went completely insane. Escafil, her successor, was also studying them. Sario was the one who named them originally. Because of their unknown nature, she named them after the Ellimist. One of her later theories states that otherwise unexplainable occurrences that were previously attributed to the Ellimists were actually fluctuations of E. particles. Escafil devised some reliable methods of detecting these particles and discovered that they tend to concentrate around certain areas and that, in these focal areas, very strange occurrences were fairly common.)

(You think Earth might be one of these focal areas?)

(I have no idea, War-Prince. Much, much more research would be necessary. But if that is the case, it would help to explain the number of remarkable things that happen there. For example, six children defeating the Yeerk Empire.)

(Or maybe it was simply the Ellimists themselves doing it,) Alloran responded.

Estrid snorted. Then she scuffed one of her rear hooves in embarrassment when she realized he was serious. (You believe in Ellimists?)

(The day I stood on my own four hooves and looked around with my own eyes, Estrid, I decided that I could believe in just about anything.)


	6. Chapter 6

Calnen almost fell over. His entire body felt numb. He might as well have been swimming in liquid nitrogen. He panted, (I think that's enough for today, Sabion. I'm a strategist, not a warrior.)

Sabion sighed and helped Calnen to his feet. (You have progressed.)

(Towards an early grave,) Calnen muttered.

(That is exactly the opposite of our goal,) Sabion responded.

(I would be very worried if it were not. But why train me so hard, Sabion? Is there not something else you could be doing with your time?)

(I would like to say yes, but. I am not certain she knows I exist.)

Calnen raised one stalk eye. (Did you just make a joke?) Sabion only stared at him blankly. Calnen snorted. (No, of course not. You were entirely serious.)

(Why would I not-)

(GET. HERE. **NOW!**) That had to have been Alloran. The ship had a communications system that would allow him to amplify his thought speak so that it could be heard anywhere on the ship.

Alloran did not use that system.

Sabion and Calnen were running towards the bridge before they even realized they were responding. A million things flashed through Sabion's mind. Were they about to be attacked? Had they found something? Was someone pregnant? Sabion was so distracted that he didn't see Estrid until he ran directly into her. She fell to the floor, and he tripped over her.

Sabion turned his main eyes towards her. (I am sorry, Estrid. I-)

(Last one to the bridge gets decapitated!) Acario laughed, leaping over them.

(You're such a child!) Alludra scolded him. Nevertheless, she jumped over Sabion and Estrid, too. (When are you going to grow up?)

(Never! If I ever grow up, I can be tried as an adult!)

Calnen had decided to stop and help Sabion and Estrid to their hooves. (Honestly, Sabion, I do not know what you see in her. She is far too much like Acario.) The three of them headed towards the bridge at a more leisurely trot than they had been taking previously.

(If Acario had stalks like that, he could act however he wanted.)

Calnan stopped and stared at his friend, lowering one stalk eye and raising another. (Come again?)

(And of course, there are her ears. Maybe if Acario's ears were that pointy, I would like him better.)

(...Sabion...)

(Though I suppose his nose is slightly more symmetrical than hers.) Sabion nodded to himself. (Yes, he _does_ have a nice nose. And slender fingers. Those are attractive, too.)

(..._Sabion_...) Calnen repeated, still staring. (...what...?)

The Warrior sighed. (And if I was pressed, I would admit that he _does_ have the shiniest hooves I have ever seen. What do you two think?)

(I have to go,) Estrid said quickly rushing past him.

(Calnen?)

(I think you have some questions you need to answer about yourself,) Calnen answered.

(**GET. TO. THE. BRIDGE.**) Alloran thundered in their heads. Estrid yelped and jumped a foot in the air. Calnen stumbled, and Sabion flinched. The three of them looked at each other for a moment, then they launched into a full gallop for the bridge.

Sabion reached it first. (Yes. I do not get decapi-) He cut off when he found Alloran's tailblade approximately half a millimeter from his throat.

(This is no time for jokes,) the old War-Prince growled. Alludra and Acario were standing perfectly still, peering out of one of the transparent sections of the bridge. Acario twitched occasionally, but that was probably as a result of whatever drug he was on. Alludra did not appear to even be breathing. Sabion took a few moments to look at her, then joined the two of them.

Any questions he had were immediately expunged. Drifting in space outside the window were two wrecks. Two ships had collided. One was large, about half the size of a Dome ship. It was a black so dark it was only visible by the stars it blotted out. It looked like one of the ancient two-bladed weapons Sabion's ancestors had used in addition tot their tailblades. Sabion recognized that ship. It would have been impossible for him not to.

The Blade ship.

The second ship was smaller and appeared to be buried in the larger ship. It was nearly impossible to tell what it had once looked like. Now, it was a twisted wreck embedded in the bridge of Blade ship. The two drifted aimlessly, locked in the embrace of death.

(No life-signs coming from either ship,) Estrid reported. Her voice sounded hollow, far away. (Our scans report that all systems on both ships are inactive. They're ghost ships.)

Sabion could not look away from them. He began to ask, (What do we-)

(We investigate,) Alloran interrupted. His voice sounded just as Estrid's did. Sabion was not sure if they sounded different or if his hearing was suddenly altered. Considering they were conversing in thought-speak, the latter was almost certainly not an option. (We need to find out exactly what happened here.)

(Uncle,) Acario began. (The smaller ship That's the one that went missing along with the Animorphs, isn't it?) He didn't sound distant at all.

That caught Sabion's attention. The idea hadn't occurred to him. (Is it?)

(Yes Alloran answered. (You said there were no life-signs, Estrid?)

(None that I can detect. But maybe)

(We investigate,) Alloran repeated. (Sabion, Acario, Estrid, come with me. Calnen, Alludra, remain with the ship. Calnen, watch the scanners and alert us immediately if there is any activity at all. Alludra, man the Shredder batteries, just in case. Acario, dock us with the ships. You will find a suitable port on the underside of the Blade ship.)

Acario tore himself away from the transparency and walked over to the navigational console. He put one hand on a red pad and, with his thoughts, guided the ship around and beneath the Blade ship. (Commencing docking procedure.)

A moment later, Acario stepped away from the console. (We are docked via the North Shaft. Whenever you're ready, Uncle.)

Alloran silently led the way. Sabion had no idea what the old War-Prince was expecting to find, but Alloran's mood, far darker than usual, translated itself well enough to the Warrior. He kept the fingers of his left hand ready, in case he suddenly needed his cetsu. And he made sure to keep the fingers of his right hand away from his palm, lest he suddenly need his Shredder.

Estrid was very clearly nervous. She was carrying a satchel of equipment Sabion did not recognize. She kept all four of her eyes focused on the ground. Whatever it was she was expecting to find, she didn't like it. She kept close to Alloran. Sabion had never thought of him as a comforting figure before, but he supposed that, when walking into something you feared, there were far worse people to stand next to.

Alloran himself did all that he could to appear confident. He strode forward with a clear sense of purpose. His tail was in combat position, and he was ready to flick on his cetsu and fire off his Shredder at the slightest sign of movement. They were not even at the end of the North Shaft yet.

Acario appeared calm. The key word being "appeared". He walked along with the other three, seemingly no more paranoid or worried than usual. Part of that was the _otala _he had been crushing when Alloran called them to the bridge. It kept his heart rates down and relaxed his muscles. Physically, he could only get so tense. Part of it, though, was an act. He could tell that Alloran was nervous. And when one of the galaxy's most feared warriors was nervous, a petty criminal like Acario would have been well off running the other way as fast as his legs could carry him.

Alloran exited the shaft first, stepping once again into the Blade ship, the scene of so many horrific memories. This was a hangar, where the ship's supply of Bug fighters was kept. They were gone. Alloran could not tell how long ago they had been taken. Maybe it was kilorotes ago. Maybe just decirotes.

(Estrid, sweep the area for traces of the particles given off by engines.)

Estrid took a cylindrical device from her satchel. (There are traces, War-Prince. Judging by the concentration, the Bug fighters launched about a dekarote ago. Presumably, that was around the time that the crash occurred.)

(The bridge,) Alloran said, almost whispering. (That is where we need to go. Sabion, Acario, remain one length behind me. Estrid, between them.)

Alloran knew his way around the ship better than any living being except for perhaps Esplin 9466. The War-prince led the way to the other side of the now-deserted hangar, to the dropshaft. He shuddered as he remembered Esplin deactivating it, filled it with Taxxons, and then shoving a dozen Controllers who had offended him into it. Esplin had smiled while the Taxxons devoured them. Alloran had felt like vomiting.

He stepped in and gave a quick thought command. Nothing happened. (The dropshaft is inactive. Estrid? I believe you have something for this.)

(Yes, War-Prince.) Estrid took a small sphere with many wires dangling off of it from the satchel. She walked over to a part of the wall next to the dropshaft and after a few moments located what she was looking for. She connected several of the wires from the sphere to the wall. The sphere gave off a slight humming sound. (It is done, War-Prince.)

Alloran nodded. (Everyone in the dropshaft. We must be quick about it, that will not provide enough power for very long. The top level. Me, then Acario, then Estrid, then Sabion. Go.) He heeded his own orders and began streaming upwards. There were only three levels to go, and each one reminded Alloran of something terrible Esplin had done. The level where he kept his torture chamber. The level where he kept his soldiers. The level where he kept his private Yeerk pool.

It seemed to take an eternity for Alloran to reach the top, though it was really just a few moments. A lifetime of horrific memories flooded through his brain. He stepped out onto the bridge level, his Shredder pointed forward. He advanced like a duelist moving towards his opponent. He knew what he was going to find, and he prayed to all the deities he had ever heard of that he was wrong. Acario, Estrid, and Sabion took up their positions behind him, imitating his posture.

At least, they reached the section of the ship that was wrecked. The walls were bent and twisted. Wires dangled from the ceiling. Pipes shot out of the walls and floors. Where there had once been doors, there were just mangled wrecks. Then they were there. The epicenter. The place where the ships had collided.

There were bodies. Bloated, burst sacks of what had once been Taxxons. Arms, guts, torsos, and blades of Hork-bajir. The scarred, twisted remains of human bodies. There were scorch marks all over the area.

(Acario. Remain where you are and watch our backs. Estrid, Sabion, with me. Look for Alloran took a deep breath. (Look for an Andalite.)

Alloran himself headed towards the other ship, the one that had been rammed the Blade ship. (Alloran?) Sabion asked as he combed the bodies in search of an Andalite. (What are you looking for?)

(Animorphs,) Alloran sighed. (You remain here. I feel this is something I should do on my own. Estrid, if you can, get any of the data still in the ships; logs. Maybe then can tell us for sure what happened here.) _Though I already know._

His search of the second ship did not take long at all. It was a small cockpit, what remained of it. He noticed a body as soon as he entered, lying face down. Alloran rolled it over with his tailblade. Then he let out a stifled cry.

(What is it?) Acario asked.

(It,) Alloran answered, (was Jake Berenson.)

(Crangar's tails,) Sabion hissed. Estrid said something considerably less polite. Several large sheets of metal were buried in his face, neck, chest, and legs, though he was still recognizable. There was no doubt about it. Jake Berenson, leader of the Animorphs and savior of earth, was dead.

Alloran walked over to the next body he saw. A young woman he didn't recognize. One of her arms was missing, and her face had been badly burnt. The body he found after that was a human who didn't look familiar. Maybe he would have looked more familiar had his head still been attached to his body. Next was a large man who had been cut almost completely in half. Even after all he had seen, Alloran felt like vomiting.

Then he came across another body he recognized. A short human, with olive skin and dark hair. He had been electrocuted by something. There was a gruesome smirk frozen onto his face, a hideous parody of his usual expression. (Marco,) Alloran said slowly.

(Alloran) Estrid said quietly. (According to my readings, there was an Andalite here. But we didn't find him among the dead. I believe it was Prince Aximili and that he is still alive. It is almost guaranteed that he was a Controller. He lives, but I fear that we can no longer count on finding any of the Animorphs alive to help us rescue him.)

Alloran held up something he found on the floor. (Do not be too sure, Estrid.) It took her a moment to recognize what he was holding.

A single, rust-red feather.


	7. Chapter 7

Calnen was almost unaware of the other Andalite in the room with him. He had his hand pressed firmly against the interface panel and was pouring through the records the team had taken from the Blade ship. Estrid was doing the same, though in a different way. She was concentrating on technical data, like how much power had been used recently and what sorts of foodstuffs for the hosts were aboard to try and find out where the Blade ship might have been going and where it might have gone.

Calnen himself was focusing on other things. References in messages to the crew, hidden memos between the commanders, etc. They mentioned places Calnen did not recognize, but that was no surprise, considering Kelbrid space was undocumented. There were dozens, maybe even hundreds, of bits of information to sort though. But Calnen couldn't think of anything that might tell them where Prince Aximili and that Animorph had gone.

Alloran and Sabion were combing the Blade ship, trying to find out, from what was missing, what was present, and what was destroyed where Prince Aximili might have gone. Acario and Alludra were scouring Acario's report on Kelbrid space, trying to figure out where it was even possible for the Yeerks to have gone with the prince.

(Calnen, does this really serve a purpose?) Estrid asked, shaking him out of his own thoughts.

(What do you mean? We need to find Prince Aximili-)

(Not that. This, right now, trying to figure out where the Blade ship might have been going. It will not tell us where Prince Aximili is, since he will almost certainly be incapable of going to his destination.)

(True, but if the Yeerks were going there before, I am certain that wherever they may be right now, they will be bringing Prince Aximili to their destination eventually. I wonder though... What do they even want with him? Why bring him here?)

(I would think that was obvious. For one thing, they want another Andalite host. For another, if they plan to reestablish the Yeerk Empire, starting a war between the Kelbrid and our people would help immeasurably. With us weakened by war with the Kelbrid, we could not stop them again.)

(I suppose so. Yet I think there is more to it. We have spent approximately six hectorotes in space, searching for clues as to the location of the Blade ship or the one stolen by the Animorphs. A hectorote before we left, we lost contact with Prince Aximili. That means that the Yeerks have had seven hectorotes to do whatever it is that they want to do with him. Yet they have not yet started the war. There is a bigger plan at work here.)

(Perhaps something just delayed the start of the war? It takes time to mobilize forces and to-)

(Normally I would agree, but if the Kelbrid have already been alerted by the Yeerks that there is an Andalite in their sector, the Kelbrid would certainly have captured the Blade ship. But I have found nothing to suggest that they have revealed themselves to the Kelbrid.)

(You have a point. It does not appear that the Blade ship was at any point impounded by the Kelbrid..It has visited numerous Kelbrid worlds, but I do not think they actually contacted the Kelbrid. What could they be doing?)

(Looking for someone, I think Their intraship memos seem to indicate it.)

(Who?)

(I do not know, other than that it is a Kelbrid. Or perhaps multiple Kelbrid. It is impossible to say. The name utilizes symbols that this ship does not know how to translate. I am not certain how I would begin to pronounce it.)

(Perhaps Acario does. He spent two kilorotes here.)

Calnen just snorted at that. (I doubt he will be of much use, unless you a1re looking for the nearest scoop of impropriety. And Crangar knows what diseases he picked up from this sector. Personally, I would not even touch him. He is probably highly contagious.)

* * *

><p>Their unnamed ship drifted around the two wrecks for three rotes before Alloran was satisfied that he had exhausted everything the Blade ship had to offer. There was nothing more to find there. All the information it was possible to get had been recovered. The reports and records were read. Now, it was time to try and figure something out. Alloran paced around the command deck while Calnen, Sabion, and Estrid stood at attention. Alludra slouched, and Acario was missing.<p>

(Where is that _westerner_?) Calnen demanded. It was clear from his tone of voice that westerner was as good as a curse to him. In that regard, at least, he was not much different from his eastern brethren.

(He had some...thinking...to do,) Alludra answered. (I decided not to join him.)

(Why is he permitted to indulge such habits?) Sabion asked. (On the homeworld-)

(We are not on the homeworld,) Alloran interrupted. He was tense, ready to get moving. The longer they stood around waiting, the farther from them the Yeerks and Prince Aximili got.

(Fine, then. On any proper starship-)

(There is nothing proper about this ship or its mission,) Alludra prompted.

(So none of you think that this is a problem?)

(Of course it's a problem,) Alludra answered. (Acario is an addict. But if he just stopped doing things like this, his body would not be able to take it. It would shut down and it is entirely possible that he would die.)

(So much the better,) Sabion argued.

(No, he is at least useful as a guide,) Calnen admitted.

(Perhaps if we limited his intake,) Estrid began.

(If you all want to keep discussing my drug habits, I can just come back later and tell you where the Yeerks took your friend,) Acario suggested as he entered the deck. There were visible traces of yellow powder around his breathing slits.

(You know?) Estrid asked.

At the same time, Sabion asked, (What is on your nose?)

(I don't know _exactly_,) Acario answered. (But I'm sure we can figure it out with some help from the old Butcher here. And he can probably help me figure out where the Yeerks went, too.)

(I found some clues on the Blade ship,) Alloran answered. (All of the portable Kandrona generators were taken. All of the Bug fighters were launched several rotes before the crash. However, a transport shuttle, larger than the Bug fighters and z-space capable, left shortly afterwards. There were no traces of unhosted Yeerks in the ship's pools aside from a handful of deceased ones. What can we assume from this, Calnen?)

Calnen thought about it briefly. (It seems logical to me that there were few survivors of the crash. Those who survived, Prince Aximili among them, took the transport shuttle, the Kandronas, and the unhosted Yeerks, and fled. It is clear from their supplies that they intend to remain in Kelbrid space for an extended stay, and perhaps begin a new infestation. They will need hosts, after all. How many hosts could the transport shuttle carry?)

(Fifty at maximum capacity,) Alloran answered. (I doubt it was full, though. There were maybe one hundred hosts on that Blade ship when it left our space after the battle above Earth, and I saw a great number of deceased on that ship. Approximately fifteen were killed in the initial crash, and there were numerous others who died on lower decks due to depressurization of the ship, lack of oxygen, or freezing to death.)

(I see. And what are the ship's movement capabilities?)

(It was only designed for ship-to-ship transfer, so its Z-space capabilities are limited,) Alloran answered. (It could move only a handful of parsecs even at full power. Perhaps five at the most. It was designed so that it could draw on Kandrona generators for power, but it seems unlikely that the Yeerks would do that, as they were forced to abandon the primary generator on the Blade ship and would not know when or where they can obtain more generators. Likewise, the ship can be used to recharge a generator. At most, they are seven parsecs away.)

Calnen bobbed his tail. (Very good. Alludra, when you were reading Acario's report, did you find any inhabited worlds within seven parsecs of our current position?)

(There are two planets, one six parsecs away, one that's one away from that.)

(Two inhabited planets?) Alloran asked. (Which one do you think the Yeerks are more likely to go for?)

(I was thinking about that earlier,) Acario interrupted. (I figured that they'd run for the nearest one, even before you started in about hosts and transports shuttles and all that. If your ship gets mangled like the Blade ship did, you're going to get help as soon as possible.)

Alludra added, (One is a primitive world Acario has never been to. According to some information he picked up from a traveler, the natives there thought the Kelbrid were deities. When the Kelbrid showed up to conquer them, they found worshipers instead. So they keep a few of their people there to keep the natives in line, but for the most part, the Kelbrid are lax there. If it isn't a Kelbrid structure, it's a bunch of sticks and straw.)

(And the other world?) Estrid asked.

(Much more high-tech,) Acario told her. (My bet is that the Yeerks would go there, grab another ship, and get back on track going wherever it was they were trying to get to. I think we could still catch them there if we gave it a shot.)

(They would not be able to obtain a ship easily,) Estrid agreed. (Even if they just infested the one in charge of a ship, they would have to have it refitted for their own purposes. Places to keep the hosts, pools, and probably have a better Kandrona created. With the destruction of the Animorphs' ship, they will most likely not be in a hurry, as they have no way of knowing that someone is still following them.)

Alloran nodded. (That's all true, but they won't be going there, will they Calnen?)

Calnen bobbed his tail. (No, War-Prince, they will not be going there. Not first, at least. The Yeerks will need hosts, so they will strike the primitive world. There, they will capture what hosts they can and then they will go to the industrialized world. Most likely, once they have the necessary ship, they will return to the previous planet for more hosts.)

(My thoughts exactly,) Alloran agreed. (I see I did not make a mistake in choosing you for this mission. We will go to this primitive world, then, and see if we cannot catch them there. If we find no sign of them, we will immediately move to the industrialized planet. Acario, Alludra, do these planets have names?)

(Svutan is what they call the primitive world,) Acario answered.

Alludra concluded, (Ulian is the name of the industrialized one.)

(Good. Knowing some of the crew of this ship, I feel I should remind you of our capabilities. There are six of us. That is all. Therefore, it would be a bad idea to attempt to engage the Yeerks in battle. If we find Prince Aximili, we will take him quietly and we will leave. It is imperative that we not be detected by the Kelbrid, even if they do not know what we are.)

(There is something else, War-Prince,) Calnen added. (From what I can gather from the Blade ship's logs, the Yeerks were looking for someone. I asked Acario to attempt to translate the name, as the script in which it is written is not one that our computer is familiar with.)

(He asked Alludra to tell me,) Acario clarified. (I got you a translation, but it doesn't help us very much. It's Kelbrid script. Ancient Kelbrid, in fact, something the only use for special things like naming planets and giving out titles. The person the Yeerks are looking for is someone the Kelbrid call 'the Allseer', roughly translated.)

(Is there a smooth translation?) Alludra asked.

(Who Sees All Things Through The Power Of The Blood Of The Stars,) Acario answered. (I like my translation better. Easier to keep in your head.)

Calnen took over from there. (I believe that Estrid and I have been able to narrow down where the Yeerks might have been going, and where they will go after this detour if we fail to catch them. Estrid?)

(According to the records the Blade ship had of its fuel levels before the crash, it was prepared to travel as far as fifty parsecs before they ran completely out of energy,) Estrid explained. (Using the information in Acario's report on Kelbrid space, which I programed into the ship's computer, I was able to create a map of all planets we know to be inhabited within that range of our current destination.)

A holographic star chart appeared in the center of the room, projecting down from the ceiling. There were countless stars dotting the map. (Working off the data I collected from the ship's logs it was clear that the Yeerks visited numerous worlds in various quadrants and appear to be moving galactic north.) Suddenly, most of the bright points disappeared. (Judging by the worlds they have already visited on the search for this 'Allseer', we can assume they are only visiting worlds that can be inhabited by traditional life forms.) Four worlds lit up and then disappeared. A green circle appeared, encompassing eight different worlds. (Based on this information, we believe that the Yeerks were going to a world within this circle, one of these eight.)

(They're going to a place called Yanak 6,) Acario answered.

(You're sure?) Alloran asked. (How do you know?)

(They're looking for someone called the Allseer,) Acario told him. (Now, I've never heard that name before, but I heard a lot of rumors while I was in Kelbrid space. About five kilorotes ago, while I was making the trek back to our sector, I started hearing rumors of some sort of traveler with...weird powers. That made me decide to stick around for a bit. There were all kinds of rumors, none of which could agree on anything except that this being existed. They couldn't agree on age, gender, race, or even what his powers were. But there were is worlds where I usually heard you could find him. Four of those were the four the Yeerks visited. Yanak 6 is one of the other two. I'd bet my _tail_ that this is the guy the Yeerks are looking for, and that's where they're going to be looking. I think that's where we should head.)

Sabion, who had decided it would be wisest to remain silent during a strategic meeting at which he had nothing to contribute, finally found reason to speak up. (Our mission is not to stop a bunch of Yeerks from finding some Kelbrid mystic who is probably not even real. It is to rescue Prince Aximili and return home.)

Calnen tried to keep the sigh out of his voice. He failed. (Sabion, as soon as they can, the Yeerks will go to Yanak 6 in search of this mystic. We could set a trap for them there.)

(If Acario's assumptions are correct,) Sabion retorted. (And need I remind you that he does not even know what he has altered his bodily chemistry with? His judgment cannot be trusted at the best of times and especially not now.)

(Nevertheless, it sounds reasonable to me,) Calnen answered. (However, if we set a trap at Yanak 6 and something goes wrong, we will have no idea where the Yeerks are going to go.)

(Huorn,) Acario argued. (That's the sixth place people say this Allseer is.)

(If they find us at Yanak 6, they will know we are on to them,) Calnen responded. (There is no chance they would go straight to Huorn, they would try to lose us first. And we could not simply set another ambush at Huorn, they would be prepared for that. Waiting for them at Yanak 6 is too risky.)

(Calnen is correct on this,) Alloran decided. (Right now, our biggest advantage is that the Yeerks do not know about us. The longer we wait around in Kelbrid space, the greater the chance is that they will hear a rumor or something that will alert them to our presence. Too much of a delay will ruin our advantage of surprise. It must be up to us when we reveal ourselves, and to what extent. And I believe we should do it soon.)

(If we strike them now, we might succeed in concealing our numbers. At the very least, the Yeerks will most likely not realize that we think we know where they are going to go,) Calnen continued. (That is an advantage we can keep even after they know about us.)

(We will go to Svutan, then,) Alloran decided. (We will attempt to capture Prince Aximili there. Just in case that fails, though, we will go to near Ulian first and send a team to investigate and make sure the Yeerks are not already there.)

He took a look at his soldiers, if they could be called that. Acario had to lead this part of the mission. He was the only one capable of doing that. It would be pure idiocy to send Sabion with him. Aside from the fact that they would not accomplish anything together, if it came down to a fight with the Yeerks, Alloran needed Sabion's help. Calnen would not be of very much use to Acario, military smarts would not be what was needed for the task and again, he would be more useful helping Alloran. Alludra...Alloran knew the sort of trouble those two would get into if he let them loose in an alien city together. That left Estrid.

Alloran sighed at the thought of that. She was smart. She would stay out of too much trouble, wouldn't she? (Acario and Estrid will go to Ulian and scout the situation. If you encounter Yeerks there, delay them if possible but try not to reveal yourselves.)

(But Uncle Ally, you know how I love to reveal myself.)

The flat of Alloran's tail smacked the side of Acario's head. (That doesn't even make sense. We're always naked.) He sighed. ( Calnen, Alludra, and Sabion will come with me to investigate Svutan. We might see a0n end to this mess before long.)


	8. Chapter 8

Landing their nameless ship would have required an enormous mess of red tape that would have bogged the Andalites down for dekarotes. They were an unregistered, unknown vessel making an unscheduled stop for reasons they could not adequately explain. And while the residents of Ulian were not strangers to such things, it was a whole lot easier to slip Acario and Estrid in quietly than try to get through the enormous mess that docking on the planet would make. So when they were in orbit, just beyond the close-range sensors of Ulian, Acario and Estrid boarded the ship's single fighter and took off. It was a whole lot easier to slip a single fighter onto the planet than it would be to hide a full-sized transport ship.

Estrid would have liked to pace the ship, but there was not enough room for that. She had to content herself by impatiently tapping her tailblade against one of her rear hooves. Acario slouched at the command interface. He held two fingers to it casually, keeping his main eyes on the viewscreen. His stalk eyes drifted around the cockpit, though they paused far too often on Estrid, and for far too long..

(Must you continue to stare at me?) she sighed after she caught him lingering for a third time.

(I'm not staring,) Acario said defensively. (I'm just...you seem nervous. Have you ever been to a world like this before?)

(Never,) she admitted. (I have only been off of the homeworld once, and that was...not pleasant.)

(You should get around more,) Acario answered. She glared at him for a moment before he realized the reason why. (Sorry, I really didn't mean it like that. There's a lot of interesting things to see out in the galaxy; it's a big place. You can find some really interesting stuff. But I really don't think there's much chance of that on this planet.)

(I thought this was an industrialized world, frequented by many species.)

(Yeah. Just like a dozen other ones in this sector. You've seen one, you've seen them all. They all blur together after a while.)

(How many have you seen?)

(Worlds like this? Maybe two dozen, all told. I find it's usually best to avoid these sorts of places when I can. There are always two kinds of people on top in these places: the local governmental official and the biggest crime lord.)

(I have found that those two often end up being one and the same,) Estrid observed. Bitterly, she added, (It seems that far too often, those authorities who you should be able to trust turn out to be the ones you can rely on least.)

Acario nodded. (That's where I run into problems, you see.)

(The crime lords do not appreciate new competition on their worlds, I take it.)

(Nah, that isn't it. I'm not competition for anyone. I'm just a petty crook. I do a little smuggling, a little peddling, maybe a quick con or two, but I'm nothing to these sentients. I come, I swap some stuff, I leave. Problem is, I seem to have the worst luck. I'm always getting into trouble with sentients I shouldn't have problems with. I spend a couple of dekarotes in a place like this, and suddenly I've got a price on my head and need to hop over a couple systems to keep the bounty hunters off. )

(I would hope that those bounties have expired by now. I would rather not have to defend you from bounty hunters.)

(I take care of myself just fine,) Acario answered. Thinking back to her fight with Sabion, though, he added, (But I'll admit I'm glad to have you with me.)

She rolled her main eyes. (I am certain. Are you going to invite me for some more...whatever that was?) Estrid tried to sound confident, but her voice shook a little.

(Nah, nothing like that. I just mean your blade can be scary.) When Estrid made no reply, he continued, (I've still got a few friends here, but they aren't going to be too quick to tail-slap us when they find out I didn't bring them any presents.)

(So how do we evade the local customs security? Would you like me to send them a false identification signal or...)

(I try to be as quiet as I can be at times like these. We'll take one of the smuggler paths down to the planet and dock in one of the...well, let's say that they're less careful about keeping track of who comes and who goes.)

(Smuggler paths?)

(No matter how good security is, there are always a few gaps in the fence. That's how you slip in things you're not supposed to have – or sentients who are trying not to be seen. With this planet, it's a design flaw in the security sensors. At one point -)

(One of the planet's moons pulls one of the security sensors out of alignment, creating a blind spot through which we can approach undetected,) Estrid finished. (Yes, I can see that.)

(I'm impressed. Have you done this before?)

(No. Have you?)

(I'd say about a hundred times, if I'm feeling modest. One-fifty if I'm in an honest mood.)

(I do not think you have an honest mode.)

(Did I manage to get a joke out of you?)

(I was being completely serious. How did you get involved in drugs and smuggling?)

(What, Uncle Ally didn't brief you on me?)

(He told me not to drink anything you gave me. That was approximately it. I could find very little else about you, even in the public records. Only that you were expelled from the Central Academy.)

(Yeah, that sounds about right.)

(After that, there is no record of you at all.)

(No public record. You weren't checking the TCS files.)

(Why would Transcontinental Security have files on you?)

(It's kind of a long story.)

(Until that moon gets in the proper position, we are not going anywhere.)

Acario thought about it for a few moments. (Yeah, alright. I've never been one to be ashamed of my past. For about a kilorote after I got kicked out of the Academy, I went to work for my uncle. He knew a thing or two about smuggling. He ran quite the successful operation, probably the most profitable one in the west. TCS busted him when he was trying to pawn off an Escafil Device to some Mak. They were going to have him executed, but they wanted to try and find out what else he sold to who. Turns out TCS takes Seerows's Kindness pretty seriously. I, being the good nephew I am, tried to bust him out. I didn't succeed and had to get lost myself. So I ended up wandering around, dodging the military and trying to make a living of my own.)

Estrid stared at him with all four eyes for a full minute. Finally, she managed to form her jumbled thoughts into a coherent sentence. (Those are some very serious crimes.)

(You bet your stalks they are.)

(So why did you come back to the homeworld?)

(Pretty simple, really. Uncle Ally called me, and I had to answer. My father was a pretty close friend of his before the old Butcher got Yeerked. They served under Seerow together, and both were there when the Yeerks turned on us. He kept on working with the Butcher for a while, even stayed with him after the whole disaster on Hork-bajir. But eventually...well, my father was always a lucky Andalite. Maybe he relied on that a little too much, because one day, his luck ran out. A stray Dracon beam took him right through the head. Uncle Ally took pretty good care of us after that. After everything else that happened, when he needed a tail, I didn't have much choice but to give him mine.)

Acario took a few moments and shook himself out of his narrative. (Uncle Ally used to be a great guy, before all this happened to him. You mentioned you studied under his brother...)

Estrid nodded slowly. (Yes. I was to be his successor. He was...a very different being. I would rather not discuss it.)

(In that case, there's a bottle of _oeda_ juice in the lower-left container.)

(I am not going to drink anything you give me.)

(You can pour it yourself if you want, but I've got to do _something_ until this moon gets into position.)

* * *

><p>(There are no orbital sensors around this planet,) Calnen reported. Alloran gave no indication that he heard. There was no need to acknowledge something like that. (Long-range sensors indicate only one notable cluster of structures on this side of the planet. According to the echo-images, it is most likely some sort of temple that served as the main Kelbrid command post for this planet.)<p>

(Alludra, do we have any data on the range of Kelbrid sensors?) Alloran demanded.

(No, father. Acario never had need to document it.)

(Very well. Calnen, activate the cloaking system and put us down one decirote's trot from the temple. That should keep us covered. Sabion, initialize the Shredder batteries just in case. Slow initialization, there is no need to let everyone know where here by announcing it with sudden power surges. Calnen, any sign of the Yeerk ship?)

(Nothing so far, War-Prince, but there is dense forest around the temple-area, as well as numerous rocky outcroppings. It could be present.)

(Good. Take it slow, pilot.)

Alloran pulled his Shredder-gauntlet tighter. He flexed the fingers of his cestus-shrouded hand and twitched his tail. The old War-Prince was ready for a fight. He hadn't had the luxury of one for kilorotes and it would feel good to strike down a Hork-bajir with his own tail again.

Calnen set them down quietly and all gathered in the southern shaft to disembark. (Remember that these Yeerks possess an Escafil Device,) Alloran noted. (They are, unfortunately, morph-capable. They could be anything, anyone, anywhere. Additionally, remember that Hork-bajir are tree-dwellers. Always keep a stalk up. Alludra, you have read Acario's reports more than anyone else. What can we expect from the Kelbrid here?)

(I am not sure. Information about the Kelbrid is vague. They are rarely seen, and Acario never had much interaction with them. There are rumors that they have strange, mystical powers, but Acario believes those are lies the Kelbrid spread themselves. According to his physical description, they are not likely dangerous.)

(Anyone who can hold a weapon is dangerous,) Alloran muttered. (Be on your guard, all of you.)

The War-Prince took point, with Calnen and Alludra walking side-by-side and Sabion bringing up the rear. Despite their size, the Andalites were silent as they stalked through the forest, moving with the grace and ease that only creatures accustomed to walks through the trees could. No one spoke. The only sounds were the planet's ambiance and the occasional tightening of a strap by one of the Andalites.

After an hour and a half, the silence deepened. Now, not even a bird chirped, nor did an animal move in the underbrush. There was no sound. None at all. It was the lack of sound that comes before an ambush – or during a walk through an empty graveyard. The less they heard the more paranoid the Andalties got. When the wind scratched a tree branch against another, it took an act of will for the warriors not to shoot at the sound out of reflex. Few understand how truly terrifying silence can be. In that quarter-rote, those four Andalites learned first hand.

At last they came to the edge of the trees. Beyond them was a village. Small, primitive huts stood in clusters. In the center of the village was a large, spherical structure made of a reflective black material. Nothing moved. There was no sound coming from the village at all. (Deserted?) Sabion asked.

(Perhaps,) Alloran muttered.

(What do you think happened?) the young warrior asked. (Do you think the Yeerks took all the villagers?)

(Perhaps,) Alloran repeated. He walked forward almost mechanically, as though he did not have control over his body. The others followed, their Shredders and tails at the ready. When they entered the village, they saw that there was little need for that.

Bodies lay here and there. Many of them resembled four-foot tall bears covered in scales instead of fur. Their lifeless hands clutched primitive spears, bows, and clubs. Mixed in with those bodies were six lifeless Hork-bajir. At the fringes, the bodies were perfectly intact, without any wounds on them at all. But as they got closer to the black, spherical building in the center of the village, the bodies were in worse shape. Some were missing eyes or fingers. Some were missing entire limbs. And some where completely dismembered.

There was not a speck of blood anywhere.

(What...what in _yaolin_ could have done this?) Alludra gasped.

(I can think of no weapon with this capability,) Calnen responded, sounding dazed.

(This is impossible...) Sabion trailed off.

Alloran remained silent, lost in his own thoughts. He was sickened at the sight of these slaughtered beings. Who had killed them? Why? How?

(It must have been the Kelbrid,) Calnen surmised. (The destruction is greatest closest to the sphere. Such an unknown weapon could only have come from them.)

Alloran said nothing. Instead, he slowly raised his arm and pointed his palm towards the black sphere. He did not know why the Kelbrid had slaughtered these people. But it angered him. He had been called the Butcher of Hork-bajir, but nothing he had done was like this. Not like this. He sent the thought-signal to the device on his arm. Beams of green light lanced out of the lens on the palm of his hand again and again, striking the building. Some danced off, reflecting off of some unknown force. They struck huts, setting them ablaze. The other Andalites hunkered behind their cestus shields to avoid being harmed by the ricocheting blasts. Alloran remained still, shooting until his hand was numb and a good section of the sphere was rubble.

Then, slowly, something appeared from behind some of the rubble. A familiar shape. Tall. Bladed. Dark green...a Hork-bajir. Alloran took more careful aim. (It has been far too long since I killed one of you, Yeerk scum.)

The Hork-bajir raised her hands. "Rah Jaget no Yeerk. Rah Jaget free. Free like Andalite. Yeerk dead."

(How did it die?) Alludra asked.

"It die when he come. Die like rest."

(He who?) Sabion asked, now lowering his weapon.

"He. He that killed all them. Yeerks try to fight him, but he...he kill them."

(How did he do that?) Calnen asked.

"Rah Jaget no know. One moment, Def attacking him. Yeerks attacking him. Then Def dead. Yeerks dead. The Hork-bajir no understand and they attack him. But not Rah Jaget. Rah Jaget recognize him."

(Who is he?) Alloran demanded, stepping closer. He lowered his weapon, but he was now within tail range.

"Rah Jaget no know name but Rah Jaget see him before."

(Where?) Alloran asked as nicely as he could.

"Rah Jaget see him on Earth."

(It had to be Prince Aximili,) Sabion decided. (Only an Andalite could have this sort of power. I don't know how, but it had to be him.)

But Rah Jaget was not finished. The hork-bajir knelt on the ground and drew a shape in the dirt with one clawed finger. The shape she drew didn't look anything like an Andalite. It looked like a hawk.


	9. Chapter 9

(What is that smell?) Estrid demanded as they entered the housing complex. Landing the ship had proven easy enough, in spite of the fact that Acario's motor coordination and judgment had been somewhat impaired by the time the moon was in the proper position. He contacted some associates of his, who prepared a place for them to land. So far, though, Estrid and Acario had met no one. Their landing field was in the slums, where a building used to be before it was reduced to rubble. Someone had cleared them a space large enough for their ship. Estrid had no idea who that was.

After landing and concealing the ship through a combination of the cloaking device and spraying the area with some sort of chemical that made it smell repugnant to any sensible species, Acario filled a pair of satchels with objects from the ship and led Estrid to what he called his scoop away from scoop. It was a single-story building where, Estrid gathered, sentiments paid the owner to allow them to live there temporarily.

Though Andalites had no currency among themselves, they quickly learned that something of the kind helps when dealing with other races. There was much trade in the galaxy, and what was worthless on one planet might be worth a fortune on another. Various roots and herbs from the Andalite world, for example, were known to have amazing medicinal effects on certain species. It was common for Andalites to trade these for materials that they needed to build ships, weapons, and whatever else they might need.

Acario swayed a bit as he walked. Whether it was a cocky swagger or a drunken stumble was difficult for Estrid to guess. Both seemed equally likely. (That smell?) Acario sniffed as he entered the building, its doors sliding open in front of him. (Probably a Gurhurunarian. They seem to find it attractive.)

(Someone should tell them that they are wrong.)

(Maybe. And maybe someone should tell us that we shouldn't be eating grass. To each his own.)

Acario approached a desk, behind which sat something that looked very much like a large blob. Its flesh sagged heavily from its body, drooping off like it was melting. The whole thing was various shades of brown. Acario rested his elbows on the desk and his head in his fists. (Hey there. The name is Schish. A friend of mine told you about me an hour ago.) Estrid sighed. _Schish_ was a word unique to the Andalite people – and not a polite one.

"Of course, _Na_ Schish. Please follow me. Your friends are already waiting inside."

(Excelent,) Acario smiled. The blob led the way down a narrow hallway. Acario followed him into the enclosed space without any sort of hesitation. Estrid took a few deep breaths and tried to recall more frightening things she had seen and done. A narrow hallway was not as bad as being in a Yeerk Pool. Not at all. That made everything seem better.

The blob stopped in front of a door labeled with numbers Estrid did not recognize. He handed Acario a small, shiny device that was semicircular in shape. Estrid fought the urge to vomit from her hooves as the blob rubbed against her, shoving its way back to its desk. (No wonder we wanted nothing to do with this sector,) Estrid muttered.

(It's not so bad. Those Hurn are great cooks,) Acario answered, pressing the device against an indentation on the door. The door slid into the floor with a clanking noise. The machinery was definitely faulty.

The room was simple. There was a waste-disposal facility as well as a cleansing station. There was a bed that they would find no use for. Laying on the bed was an extremely large insect of some kind. It stood up when they entered the room. Its head was disc-shaped, with a pair of mouths under it and the eyes on top. Beneath its head was a segment with six arms extending from it. Four were weak, delicate things. Two were large, crab-like pincers. It had a third segment where its four delicate legs connected to its body. The whole thing was a burnt orange color.

"Acario," It greeted them. Acario had been kind enough, or intoxicated enough, to upload the information he had about the Kelbrid language into the ship's computer so that all of the Andalites could learn it. Estrid knew, from his reports and descriptions, that this was not a Kelbrid. It was a species called the Cho-ka-bi.

(Chal-Van,) Acario greeted the insect. (You have more arms than I remember.)

Chal-Van glanced at Estrid, then back to Acario. "I could say the same about you. What's this all about, Acario?"

(I'm looking for someone.)

"Someone's looking for you."

Acario's stalk eyes narrowed. (Tell me about it in a minute. This is actually important.)

"It's always something with you."

(Usually four or five things. The one I'm looking for is someone like me.)

"Another Hooloovoo?"

(Yeah, one of us. He's going to be with some other creatures you don't recognize. Tall, blades on all their limbs, pretty dangerous looking. They're going to want a ship and want it fast. There might also be some big, giant worms with them. They eat...everything. You hear about anything like that?)

The Cho-ka-bi appeared thoughtful, but it was difficult to say. "There might be something. Someone I know owns a restaurant in the production yards. He came complaining to me because some customers came in one night and ate everything. Including one of the employees. I think he said something about big worms."

(That sounds like Taxxons,) Estrid agreed.

(We'll check that out,) Acario nodded.

"Other than that, I don't have much for you now. I'll get some people on this. How important is it, Acario?"

Acario shrugged. (Not sure. Important enough I went back to my homeworld. This other Hooloovoo...he's looking for someone called the Allseer. I think he might be that hermit everyone was excited about last time I was here.)

"That might be nothing. Might be dangerous," Chal-Van said, shrugging four of his arms. "I'll keep some feelers out and keep you updated. But you need to know that someone's been looking for you. They've kept a bit of pressure on me."

Acario leaned his upper torso against the wall. (Yeah?)

"What in Ouer-Shev's name did you do on Ormandi Secunda?"

(Oh. That.)

"Yes, that. I don't make a habit of digging into your business, Acario, but whatever you did made an enemy out of someone very, very important. Someone with a lot of power wants your head nailed to their desk."

(This isn't the first time this sort of thing has happened to me, you know. I'll be fine.)

"You don't understand, Acario. They hired a professional to find you."

(I've had bounties on my head since I was an adolescent,) Acario responded. (I'm here, they aren't.)

"This one's different. What did you do, Acario?"

(If you need to know...one thing led to another and I ended up putting my tail through a Kelbrid Underoy. I got out of the sector after that.)

"You killed an Underoy!" Chal-Van shouted. He looked around frantically, as though afraid assassins would appear at any moment. He put two delicate claws on Acario's shoulders. "Listen, Acario, you can't stay here long. This bounty hunter is going to find you and he's going to kill you."

(What's so dangerous about this one? You and I've both had to deal with this sort of thing before.)

"This time it's different," Chal-Van said quietly. Even more quietly, he added, "They sent a Howler."

* * *

><p>It had been a full rote since the mission to Svutan. The entire time, Alloran, Calnen, and Rah Jaget had been holed up in Alloran's quarters, trying to figure out just what in <em>yaolin<em> had happened. A village slaughtered, Yeerks killed in the heads of their hosts and, as near as Alloran could tell, all of it caused by an Animorph. He knew from long experience that they were capable of some incredible, impossible things, but this...this wasn't possible. They did not possess this power, he was sure of it.

After a rote of study and thought, Alloran summoned the crew to discuss what was happening. Sabion and Calnen stood stiffly at attention. Alludra slouched a bit as usual. Rah Jaget tried to imitate their formal posture. The last thing Alloran needed was a Hork-bajir to babysit. He already figured out how to solve that problem, though.

(First order of business,) he addressed his crew once everyone was on the bridge. The War-Prince paced in front of them, his stalk-eyes always scanning the equipment. (Rah Jaget is to be conveyed into Warrior Sabion's custody. You will be responsible for her safety and well-being, Warrior Sabion.)

(Me? Why?)

(Because you are the only one here who thinks at the same level as a Hork-bajir,) Alloran snapped. (Only someone with a mind like that would ask 'why' when I give an order.) Alloran calmed down and continued. (Using Rah Jaget's account and our own observations, we have reconstructed approximately what happened. It is...not pleasant.)

Calnen gave a thought-speak command to the ship's computer. A hologram appeared in the center of the bridge. It was from Rah Jaget's point of view, an approximation of her memory of the event.

_They stepped off of the transport ship, into the forest. Seven Hork-bajir would be enough for this. They were to gather hosts for infestation. The transport ship took off, headed for a nearby planet. They would be back with a new ship and a new pool. When they returned, this village would be ready for infestation._

_They climbed the trees and moved with stealth that most would not think Hork-bajir were capable of. It took them less than an hour to reach the village. They watched, observed, keeping an eye on the village all night. The Kelbrid governor seemed to be gone. The natives remained. They were primitive in the extreme, kept that way by the Kelbrid. They would be exceedingly easy to take._

_They came at dawn, dropping out of the trees and into the village. Negotiations went well. It was easy to convince the natives that they were messengers of the Kelbrid, servants of the Gods. They were welcomed with open arms. The Yeerks told the Def of a ritual they would undergo when more Messengers arrived. It was so, so easy. The Def would willingly walk into Yeerk pools. So simple._

_Then it came. There was no warning, just a scream. Everyone moved to battle positions. In the market square, there was a bird. One with brown feathers, a cruel beak, and a red tail. On the ground in front of it was a Def. It was obviously dead, but there were no visible wounds on the body. Rah Jaget's Yeerk recognized the bird. The Animorph. Tobias. The Yeerk gave the order to attack._

_The Def charged at it with primitive weapons. Spears, rocks, slings. And suddenly, they fell down, dead. The bird didn't move, didn't blink, didn't say or do anything. But there was no doubt in Rah Jaget's mind that the Animorph had killed them. Suddenly, it was changing, shifting. The Yeerks did not approach it._

_It changed into a human. A young human, barely more than a child. Wild blonde hair. Dark eyes. He walked towards them. Suddenly, Rah Jaget felt an odd emptiness. Suddenly, with no idea how or why, the Yeerk had lost control. He was free. And he had no doubts that the Yeerk was dead. The Hork-bajir looked at each other, confused and frightened. Then someone shouted something, called the Animorph a demon. The Hork-bajir attacked. The Def attacked. The Animorph struck back._

_Def and Hork-bajir fell and died. He advanced, not turning or looking anywhere but at the sphere where the Kelbrid had made their temple. Rah Jaget knew better. He hid in the sphere, peeking out through the doorway. The closer the Animorph got, the more violent the destruction became. Def and Hork-bajir were dismembered, torn to pieces, shredded like bark._

_At last, the Animorph entered the temple. He turned to Rah Jaget, met his eyes. Rah Jaget wept. The Animorph put a hand on his shoulder. "Ax is my problem. If you get interfere, you will be fighting powers you can't understand or beat. If you involve yourselves in this, you are going to die." He paused, then added, "Alloran."_

Everyone was shaking. Calnen had vomited from his hooves. Alludra was gripping the console for support. Sabion and Rah Jaget were visibly quivering. Finally, Alludra asked what everyone was thinking. (What in _yaolin_ is going on?)

(I had Calnen use the ship's sensors to examine the scene. Share your findings.)

Calnen nodded slowly, composing himself. (The ship's sensors found unbelievably high concentrations of E. particles in the area,) Calnen answered. (Not only was the village crawling with them, the corpses also showed some of the highest amounts ever recorded. My conclusion is that someone has found a way to weaponize E. particles, and that the attacker was utilizing that weapon.)

(He was unarmed,) Alludra argued. (Where do you think he was concealing this weapon?)

(Impossible to say,) Calnen admitted. (It is possible that the weapon was being used from a remote location.)

(Can E. particles have this sort of devastating effect?) Alloran posed.

(I do not know, War-Prince, but that seems to be the case. I will need to consult Estrid on this matter. She is far more of an expert in this than I am. She might be able to tell you something new.)

(What does all of this mean?) Sabion answered.

(I know a thing or two about Animorphs,) Alloran answered. (I know that the one we're dealing with is named Tobias. He has more combat experience than many War-Princes. He is extremely skilled at surveillance and observation. He thinks quickly and is used to acting alone, without the support of others. I do not believe he means us harm, but he believes harm will come to us. If he was warning us, then we must be very, very careful. And if he was threatening us, we must be even more careful. He is every bit as dangerous as his father was.)

(His father?) Sabion asked.

Alloran nodded slowly. (Yes, Sabion. Tobias is, in many ways, one of us. He is the son of Prince Elfangor-Sirinial-Shamtul.)

* * *

><p>Andalites did not sleep in beds. Unless they were Acario. He was comfortably sprawled on his side, under the blankets. Estrid had decided to sleep standing up, as any self-respecting Andalite would. Of course, Acario had never been accused of having much respect, self or otherwise. Estrid was sleeping peacefully. She was rudely awakened by Acario's voice in her head. (Don't move. Pretend to still be asleep.)<p>

She did as she was told. (I would not need to pretend if you were not so rude. What is it?)

(Oh, a small matter. I hear a few beings on the other side of our door.)

(You woke me up for that?)

(I also hear the sound of an interface hack unlocking said door.) That got Estrid's attention.

(How do you know it is an interface hack?)

(I've been present at the hacking of many interfaces. If we were in our own sector, I could probably tell you who made the thing. Now, when sentients break into my room in the middle of the night, they're usually here to kill me. As soon as someone comes in, get below the bed and morph to something small. Get back to the ship and wait for me there.)

(I am more a warrior than you are, Acario,) Estrid said hotly. (I am not going to run from danger.)

(Fine then. You stay here and fight the assassins, I'll go hide in the ship. Come let me let me know when you're done.)

There was no further time for argument. The door clanked into the floor and Acario opened fire, shooting from the Shredder mounted on his palm. Estrid was about to join in, but it was like everything was happening too fast for her to follow. As soon as she aimed at one of the shadowy figures, It was already dropped, as was the one beside it. For all his faults, Acario was a very good shot. Not one to wait around, she rushed forward, her tail darting faster than Acario could follow. In the time it took him to fire, she slashed one of the creatures three times, leaving it crippled and dying on the floor.

Suddenly, part of the wall behind Estrid was torn away. A rectangle about four feet tall and two feet wide was missing. Silhouetted by lights from outside was a being Estrid had never seen before. It was about as tall as a tall human. Its blue eyes seemed to glow. Its sharp teeth drew into a smile. Its flesh was red and black, like cooled lava. There were sharp claws on its writs. One of those claws was at Estrid's throat.

It grabbed her, wrapping one arm around her upper torso, pulling her in front of it. A shield between itself and Acario. Acario dropped the last one in the door way and turned to face this new creature. (The Howler, I presume.)

"The Andalite," the Howler growled.

(Okay, you know way too much already. Good thing a Shredder through the brain cures all that. Are you going to hold still or is this going to be interesting?)

The Howler only grinned. "Come and play, Andalite. We always win."

(So do I.) He fired. The green beam disintegrated the Howler's head. There was nothing left of it. But it didn't release its grip on Estrid. Slowly, horribly, its head began to grow back. Acario paled a bit. Estrid, ever the scientist, was more fascinated than anything else. (Okay, that's a neat trick. But I've always got a few of my own.)

(Acario, I can distract him for a moment,) Estrid said privately. (If I acquire him, he might loosen his grip. I can get out of the way. Do you think you can kill him?)

(I blew his head off, and now he's just smiling at me. I'm not sure how to kill that.)

(I have heard of these creatures,) Estrid said. (Aximili once told me that one was killed by a fall. Sufficient trauma should do it.)

(Got it. I think I know what to do. Ready when you are.)

The Howler and Acario watched each other, waiting for an opening. Estrid focused on the Howler. She felt its DNA flow into her. It didn't go into the trance like she was expecting, though. Its grip loosened a bit, but not like she was hoping. Still, she tried to pull away and struggle out of its grasp. She kicked with her hind legs and slashed with her tail. Finally, after several agonizing seconds, she was free. She leaped over the bed and turned, prepared to shoot.

As soon as Estrid was out of his line of fire, Acario opened up. One beam went directly into the Howler's head, into its brain. Three more struck it in the chest, blowing away any important organs that might be there. Acario shot it in the legs, too. There were always important arteries in legs. Six shots in six very precise locations. All in the amount of time it had taken Estrid to get to the other side of the bed and turn around.

Acario kept shooting and Estrid joined in. After about thirty seconds of shooting, there wasn't enough left of the Howler for it to possibly regenerate. (This could be a problem.)

(Why is that?) Estrid asked.

(I've never known a Howler to give up on something this easily. Something is definitely not right about this. At all. First thing tomorrow, we investigate that restaurant, then we find someplace better to hide. I'm going to go tell the manager that we need a new room for the night.)

(Wouldn't it be better just to go back to the ship?)

(No. They probably want us to do that. Then they'd know where our ship is. We'll sneak out of here in morphs. Tonight, let's get some rest.) He turned to go.

(Acario...where did you learn to shoot like that? It was...impressive.)

(I have... I _had_ a brother. He died when his ship crashed, though. A real shame, too. Not just for me, either. He was best sniper the Academy ever saw.)

(I find that unlikely. I _met_ the best sniper the Academy ever saw.)

(Hate to break it to you, but unless his name was Aloth-Attamil-Gahar, he was lying to you.)

(Actually...it was.)


	10. Chapter 10

Estrid couldn't sleep. She was far too paranoid now. No matter what Acario said, the ship was safer. But he wasn't going to be going anywhere, she knew that already. He thought he was right and there wasn't something likely to change that. In spite of how calm he tried to pretend he was, though, she could tell that he was still awake, too. (Can you not sleep?) she asked.

(Don't want to,) he lied.

(Then what do you want to do?) Estrid responded.

(You sure you want to know the answer to that?)

She sighed. (I believe I already know. )

(Why don't you guess anyway? Guessing games are fun.)

(There is no chance of that.)

(Huh...too bad. If you don't want to guess, maybe I should just tell you.)

(Why must you always go to this subject?)

(Like Alludra said, my heart and brain don't exist. I have to think with something, now don't I?)

(Can you not be serious for just a moment?)

(You have exactly one moment.)

Estrid wasn't proud of what she did next. But she wanted, just this once, to stop him in his tracks. And how she had something that she thought could make him be serious for once. (Aloth.)

There was a pause. Then, (What about him?)

(Do...do you know what happened to him? What really happened to him?)

(Yeah, I know. Heard about it from a friend of mine on the Homeworld who still keeps in touch with me. He was on a ship called the _Ralek River_. It crashed and...well...) Acario trailed off.

Estrid slowly shook her head. (Acario...that isn't what happened.)

(What are you talking about?)

(This...it is complicated.)

(So is Ssstram economics, but that doesn't stop me from trying to turn a profit there.)

Estrid nodded. (Very well. I am a scientific genius. When I was young, I was sent to the university, to study and research. There I met Arbat-Elivat-Estoni.)

(Uncle Arbat...he never did like me,) Acario muttered.

(Approximately five kilorotes ago, he...)

Acario raised one stalk eye. (Got a little free with his hands, did he?)

(**NO!** Wha – why would you even suggest that?)

(Well, between you and me, Uncle Arbat always seemed a little off to me. No telling what he might do next, you know? Don't tell Uncle Ally I said that, though, he gets pretty protective of his younger brother. Poking fun at Arbat was a good way to lose your head.)

(He never did any such thing! But...I suppose that would not have been as bad as what he did do...)

Acario leaned forward, interested now. (Okay, now this is something I want to hear.)

(I stumbled across something...a virus of sorts. It could be designed, programmed, to attack and kill Yeerks. But there was a problem with it. It could mutate and attack their hosts, too.)

(Sounds like you might run into a problem there.)

(Yes, though I admit I did not realize it at first. The mission we went on was one that Arbat planned. He wanted to release the virus in the Yeerk Pool. It would kill many Yeerks, probably all of the Yeerks on Earth. But it might also have killed all of the humans. I did not realize it at the time. I thought Arbat would give me enough time to perfect it, to make it 'safe'…)

(Hard to see the W.C. authorizing that,) Acario pointed out. (How'd Arbat manage to get them to agree to it?)

(He lied,) Estrid answered simply. (Or maybe he did not even tell them. I know that Arbat lied to the other two members of the crew, though. He told them that we had been sent on an assassination mission, to kill Visser Three. He gathered two Andalites. A pilot named Gonrod…and your brother.)

Acario bobbed his stalk eyes slowly. (Yeah, that makes sense. No one's a better shot than Aloth. You mean he never went to prison after all?)

(From what I understand, Arbat recruited him out of prison,) she explained. (During the mission, Arbat…I did not see it, but Aximili was there. Arbat killed Aloth.)

Acario said some words that Estrid could not repeat, partially because it would be unbecoming of her and mostly because she did not know the language from whence most of them came. (What happened to Arbat?) he demanded.

(We are not sure, but we presume he was eaten by Taxxons while in a human morph.)

Acario nodded slowly. (Good. Good. That sounds like something he deserved.) They waited in silence for several minutes, neither sure what to say. At last, something came to Acario's mind. (What...what did you think of Aloth?)

(He was….) Estrid thought. (I did not like him,) she admitted. (He was unfriendly, insulting, snide, and aloof. But…he acted that way towards me. He acted that way towards Gonrod and Arbat and Aximili, too. He treated me just like he treated a half-trained _aristh_, a famous pilot, and an old Intelligence Adviser. I did not like him at the time but now…I have to respect him. He showed me at least that much courtesy.)

(That's Aloth for you. He was always very…fair. He was too good for our family. With his Shredder skill, he could have made a fortune in the private sector. But Aloth…he wanted something more, something that was bigger to him than profits. He wanted to do something with his life, something that would last for generations. That's how he ended up in the military.)

(I had no idea there was any sort of nobility in him. From what I understand, he was arrested for stealing and selling organs from dead comrades.)

Acario looked away. (That wasn't his fault. That was…that was mine.)

Estrid raised one stalk eye. (How so?)

(When I was younger…I wasn't always the handsome, healthy Andalite I am today. I used to be very sick. A few kilorotes ago, I was on death's door. And no one on the Homeworld knew how to help me, not for all the money my family could muster. The Noblisk had a cure for what I was going through, but they weren't too keen on sharing. They wanted something special…)

(The organs Aloth was selling.)

(Yeah, that's right. I don't know why they wanted them, and I don't care. Aloth got them their payment and they fixed me up better than ever. But someone found out and TCS bagged Aloth and stuck him in a cell. The last I saw of him…Well, it looked a lot like when TCS grabbed our father. I always figured it was a vision of my own future.)

(I am sorry, Acario.)

(Don't be. It isn't like you're the one who ratted him out. Or put a bolt in his brain. I'm sure I would have heard about that virus getting out and killing off the humans, so I can only assume you got some good sense and got out of that deal. That's pretty much all I can ask of you. He wouldn't have wanted things to end that way. Aloth...he wanted to be the good guy. Sometimes, it makes me think I might like to try that, for a change.)

* * *

><p>Alloran was brooding. It wasn't a usual hobby of his, but he was compelled to give it a chance after seeing the reenactment of the slaughter of the Def. As well as he hid it from his soldiers, it had shaken him to the core. The old War-Prince had been expecting a simple mission to find Aximili. Dangerous, perhaps, but something he could handle. Suddenly, things were a whole lot more complicated. Animorphs tended to have that effect on things. (Are those children going to haunt me forever?)<p>

Someone knocked on the door to his quarters. He didn't need to ask who it was. (Come in, Alludra.) His daughter entered and focused all four eyes on him. Alloran sighed. (Trying to hide it from you was bound to fail, wasn't it?)

(I know you too well, father. What we saw scared you. Very badly, it seems. What was so terrifying about that?) she asked. (Calnen thinks he was using some sort of weapon, or that someone else nearby was. What we saw was not what actually happened, it was how Rah Jaget remembered things. I was disturbed at first, too, but it seems likely that Calnen is correct.)

Alloran shook his head. (I wish I believed that, Alludra. But... Things have a way of...elevating...with Animorphs around. I'm scared, daughter. I'm worried that what we saw...maybe that's what really happened.)

(What...how do you mean?)

(E. particles... Calnen says those are probably what caused the destruction. What if Tobias can control them, manipulate them?)

(That's impossible, father. It would be like controlling air or trees or anything else. One can't just exert one's will on the universe.)

(I know many who have tried. Impossible as it may be...that is routine for the Animorphs.)

Alludra put a hand on his shoulder. (You are just worried, father. Seeing one of the Animorphs brings back bad memories for you. It is clouding your judgment. They were great warriors, but they could not bend the universe to their will. They were only human - mostly, at least.)

(I know that. And yet...) Alloran's gaze drifted past his daughter. He stared at his door without really seeing it. (There are...things...in this universe, Alludra. Beings of power so vast that we refuse to believe they exist... I have...seen them. Some benevolent...some far, far worse than the Yeerks...)

(Father...) Alludra began, a note of concern clear in her voice.

(They are out there, Alludra. They are. I've...I have seen what happens when they take a hand in matters. That which is impossible... For them, it is as breathing. What happened on Svutan... That would be nothing to them.)

(I think you need to rest, father,) Alludra suggested. (I think Acario might have left something in his quarters...)

Alloran shook his head. (This is what I fear, Alludra. That what Rah Jaget saw...what Tobias said was true. It was a message for us. These powers...they are at play, now. And I fear we are walking right into the thick of it.)

(Father...) Alludra said again.

The old War-Prince sighed and shook his head. (But there's nothing to be done, is there? We have our orders. Find Prince Aximili. Bring him home.)

(We could leave, father. We found the crashed ships. We could say he was killed. If things are as you fear, we should run the other way as fast as we could.)

(No...no. Even if I was ordered to return home, I could not do it. It is not only my orders, Alludra. There is a debt I owe to the Animorphs, one that I can never hope to repay. Jake and Marco are dead. Rachel as well. But for the sake of those who remain... I must do all I can for Aximili, Alludra. I owe them everything. It is only fair that I should risk everything for their sake. I cannot count what they risked for mine.)

(Then stop acting like this,) she responded. (This uncertainty and hesitation...it is not who you are. Do you truly believe that there are powers out there who can do things like this? Or are you just frightened from seeing an Animorph after so long?)

(I...) He paused. Then, (I believe it, Alludra. I know it. I have seen them at play. Their power is something I have witnessed with my own four eyes. They are there. And, I fear, they are here.)

(At least you are certain, then. You have never been hesitant, father. This would not be the time to start, would it?)

(No, I suppose not,) Alloran conceded.

(Then, assuming that these powers are at work, what should you do?)

(Do I have any choices? I cannot turn back. The debt I owe...not even for the sake of my crew – for your sake – can I step back.)

(Then we must go forward,) Alludra answered simply. (But another thought, father. These powers of which you speak...do you think they would touch only the Animorphs?)

(What do you mean?)

(I mean that perhaps they mean for us to be here. For you to be here.)

Alloran thought about that. Then, (What use would they have for me?)

(The same use the War Council did. You are strong. You are brave. You have experienced hardship and tragedies that have made you nearly invincible. Could anything you endure be worse than your slavery to the Yeerks? Could any decision you make haunt you more than what you did on Hork-bajir?)

Alloran shook his head. (No.) He paused. (There is one thing. I should never have brought you, Alludra. My daughter...if something happened to you, it would be worse than anything else that has happened to me.)

(You could not protect me very well by leaving me behind,) she answered. (Much better to have me within reach, do you not think?)

(You are right, as usual.) Alloran agreed.

(Then cease this hesitation, father. Leave your uncertainty behind. You are here. Now. Whether it was the War Council who sent you or these powers who called you, it matters little. Your task is still the same. Your debt is still to be paid. And you, father, are still War-Prince Alloran-Semitur-Corrass. Be who you are, and I know everything will be alright.)

* * *

><p>Rah Jaget sat in the shade of one of the trees in the bubble. She sat stiffly, her eyes staring far ahead at something she could not see. Her claws clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh. A small amount of blood trickled out from the wounds she unknowingly made in her hands. A part of her told her she was hungry, but that part couldn't get through to her. She only sat there, staring.<p>

That was how Sabion found her, staring blankly and literally into space. This was the third time Sabion had found her doing nothing but staring. At first, he assumed it was just normal Hork-bajir behavior - staring absently was probably common to such stupid creatures. But this time, he noticed the wounds Rah Jaget was making in her hands. Sabion found a place on the Hork-bajir's shoulder that wasn't bladed and shook her gently. When that met with no success, he shook her considerably harder.

Rah Jaget's arm snapped up into an attack position. Sabion's tail whipped into place just as quickly. The Hork-bajir lowered her arm slowly, some sort of grimace on her face. Had Sabion known anything about Hork-bajir facial expressions - or facial expressions in general - he would have recognized it as an embarrassed smile. After a moment, Sabion lowered his tail. "Rah Jaget sorry," Rah Jaget said slowly. "Old reflex."

Sabion ignored the apology. (You were wounding yourself.)

Rah Jaget looked at the palms of her hands as if seeing them for the first time. "Rah Jaget think."

(About what happened?) Sabion asked. As slow as conversation with the Hork-bajir could be, there was something Sabion found enjoyable about it. It made him feel intelligent, smart. Maybe that was why Calnen spoke to Sabion?

Rah Jaget shook her head. "Think about what happen soon."

(What do you mean?)

The Hork-bajir's beak moved but no sound came out. "Rah Jaget...think about..." She looked around as if she could find the words somewhere in the bubble. Her eyes fell on the tree behind her. She put a hand on a branch. "Rah Jaget cut branch, branch fall."

(Yes. That is correct. That is called gravity.) It was nice to know things for once.

"Not gravity...Rah Jaget not think about why..." Whe trailed off. There was an intense look of concentration on her face. "Branch not fall, but Rah Jaget see it."

(That is called your imagination. It is when your mind make sup things and puts them into words and pictures. It can be fun. I spend a lot of time in my imagination land.)

"No! Not imagination!" Rah Jaget said forcefully. "Rah Jaget think...think about...branch not fall yet, but Rah Jaget see it. Rah Jaget think about that."

Calnen entered the bubble at this point. He swept his eyes over the pair and then decided to ignore them while he fed. He jogged around the bubble, enjoying the taste of the grass under his feet. The scientists had done a fantastic job with this, he had to admit.

(Your imagination,) Sabion said again.

"**NO!**" Rah Jaget shouted, slamming a fist against the tree in frustration. "Not imagination! Real. But...not now. Branch...Branch fall. Not now. Soon. After now. Not imagination."

Calnen jogged closer to the pair as he passed them. "She's talking about the future, Sabion. She doesn't know the words for it, but it sounds like he's thinking about the future."

"Future! Future happen not now? After now?"

(That's right. That's the future,) Calnen explained.

Rah Jaget nodded. "Future. Rah Jaget think about future. See branch fall."

(Interesting,) Calnen remarked. (I was not aware Hork-bajir had any real ability to think ahead.)

"No think. Rah Jaget see branch fall."

(Is that so?) Calnen asked. Sabion had fallen silent. So much for feeling he knew things.

"Rah Jaget see branch fall. See other things. Happen not-now. In future. Rah Jaget see them."

Privately, Calnen spoke to Sabion. (Sabion...it sounds like she's saying that she can see the future.)

(She must be imagining things.)

(I certainly hope so. Though...she was exposed to the highest concentration of E. particles ever recorded. Perhaps... But that would be absurd. Still...) Out loud, he asked, (What else do you see, Rah Jaget?)

"Rah Jaget see...see red creature fight other Andalites. Rah Jaget not know them."

(What do they look like?) Sabion ask.

"One tall. Thin. Darker than you. Other small, purple."

(That almost sounds like Estrid and Acario,) Calnen whispered, surprise clear in his voice. (What else do you see, Rah Jaget?"

"Rah Jaget see lots. Much...confusing. Strange trees. Strange creatures. So many...so much...Trees on fire, trees dead. Metal gate, red eye, small bird, dead Andalite, strange ship, smoking mountain, bloody river, red eye, the eye the eye THE EYE **THE EYE!**" Rah Jaget dropped to her knees and dug her claws into her head. "**THE EYE! THE EYE! BLOODY EYE! FIRE EYE!**"

(Watch her!) Calnen snapped at Sabion. (I am going to retrieve a sedative. Make certain she does not hurt herself while I am gone.)

Calnen dashed out of the bubble, off to the medical bay. Rah Jaget's claws dug deeper into her head. Blood seeped out between her fingers. Her ranting grew louder. Sabion shuddered at the sound. Then he tilted his tailblade to the side and struck the Hork-bajir across the face with the flat of it. Rah Jaget stopped ranting - probably due to being unconscious. (I am certain she cannot hurt herself now.)


	11. Chapter 11

Calnen saluted Alloran as the younger Andalite entered the bridge of the ship. Alludra was standing by her father, as she had been all night. He was not acting like himself at all, and that worried her. (Report, Calnen,) Alloran commanded.

(I have finished analyzing Rah Jaget. Sabion is watching her now. It is as I expected. Rah Jaget is giving off incredible E. particle readings. The concentration surrounding her is as great as what we found on the Def planet.)

(What do you make of that?)

(Rah Jaget was exposed to more E. particles than any living being I know of. It is probable that those particles attached themselves to her.)

(Logical. And what do you think of her claims of prognostication?)

Calnen thought about it. (It is difficult to say,) he answered. (Ordinarily, I would discount it as impossible. However, there is some scientific merit to it this time. The effects of E. particles in this situation have never been studied. And as you know, I have only a basic understanding of them to begin with. For myself...I would wait for more evidence before making a decision. Though there is currently sufficient evidence for me to keep an open mind.) That last bit sounded wrenched from him.

(Alludra? Your thoughts?)

Alludra snorted. (It is absurd. No one can see the future, father. No matter how many E. particles are floating around them.)

Alloran nodded. (What does Sabion think?) he asked Calnen.

(If Sabion had his way, War-Prince, he would gladly stand in front of that tree for years, waiting for that branch to snap off.)

(I see. So the only one who believes this is Sabion.) His thoughts on that matter were obvious from his tone. (Calnen...Set a course for Ulian, emergency speed. I want to reach there as soon as possible.)

(Of course, War-Prince. Though if I may, I understand the destination, but why the haste?)

(What we have is a Hork-bajir who can allegedly see the future. And she claims to have seen two things that concern me: Andalites fighting some red creature and a dead Andalite. I would rather not arrive late and find one of my soldiers dead, would you Calnen?)

(I shall set the course immediately, my Prince.)

* * *

><p>Acario led them to the restaurant the next morning. It was a small place in an out-of-the-way section of the city. The production yards were where the mechanics and engineers built ships. The workers usually had quarters near the yards, so there were always places to eat and drink nearby. There was an acrid smell to the air here, one that only got stronger the longer one stood in it. The sky was darker here, the sun dimmed by the smoke of the factories. Here, the ground was covered in metal sheeting. Some of it was intentionally hammered into place. Some had been dropped ages ago and never removed. Workers of all sorts of races crowded together, some going to tasks, some coming from them. No one paid attention to the two Andalites who moved through them.<p>

Estrid and Acario entered the restaurant quickly, glad to escape the pressing crowd. It was a single-room, circular building, not particularly clean but not revolting either. The food preparation area was in the center of the building, with a counter around it. A bloated, off-white being stood in the center of the ring. It was vaguely egg-plant shaped, with thee bulbous eyes at the top of its body and a ring of tentacles around it. They snapped left and right, preparing food for the customers.

Acario strolled up to the counter. (What do you have for a couple of grazers?)

One eye rolled from Acario to Estrid and back. The being's voice sounded muffled, as though it's mouth were buried somewhere in its body. "For you two, I can blend up something. Just as long as you didn't bring any more of your friends."

(Our friends?) Estrid asked. Acario was glad she kept that private.

(The Taxxons,) he explained privately. Louder, he said, (Our friend mentioned something about that. You know what exactly happened? He was kind of vague on the details.)

"They aren't details I'm going to forget. Four of your worm friends came in. They didn't care what was in front of them, they ate it. At first, they were my best customers. Then I ran out of food and they decided to chomp down on one of my cooks. That was the last straw. I would have chopped them all up if your friend hadn't come in, pulled them out, and paid me."

(Glad he got that taken care of. That's why we're here, actually. Our pals have been causing problems all over the place. We're trying to track down the victims and make amends. We wouldn't want our good name ruined, you understand?)

"While you're on the subject, I got to thinking last night. And I was thinking that while your friend paid for the damages, I _did_ lose an employee... I'm not sure what he gave me was worth a sentient's life..."

Acario nodded gravely. (Oh, absolutely. I don't have much money on me at the moment, but I might have something you'd like a bit more...) Acario pulled a small bottle out of his satchel. (How does four ounces of salt sound to you?)

"S...s...salt? You...you have _four ounces_ of salt?" the being stammered.

(Oh, I've got plenty more than that. Pure, granulated salt. Iodized, even.)

"You...have more, you say?"

(Much more. So let me lay this out for you. Maybe - and this is just maybe, you understand - our 'friends' aren't so friendly anymore. Maybe that money they paid you was stolen from my employer and I want it back. And maybe I don't know where exactly these 'friends' of mine are. Do you think you might have a clue? If any of that were true, that is.)

"Oh, I've got more than a clue. I'm not the only one who's had to put up with those worms. I've heard stories from all kinds of people. Two days ago, someone came in here, talking about how an entire block of the building he was renting was suddenly filled with the things. And how they ate two of his neighbors. I know where they are." He gave them an address in the production yards.

(If I didn't already know where my friends were, I'd be grateful. I might even give you this,) Acario answered, dropping a small bag from his satchel onto the counter. (Two more ounces. I think that might keep your mouth shut about this little talk, don't you?)

"Oh yes, I think that'll do nicely. A pleasure. What are you called, friend? If all your kind are so generous..."

(Oh, me? I'm just a garden variety Hooloovoo.)

The being stepped back. "Hooloovoo you say..." It stepped forward again and pushed two tentacles against Acario's shoulders. "You need to get out of here. Now. Get off this planet."

(You know, if you know something dangerous to me, it'd be courteous of you to tell me.)

The being lowered its voice. "There's a Howler hunting for a pair of Hooloovoos. I should have recognized... You have to leave. Now!"

(Oh, that. it's alright. I killed him last night.)

"He was in here this morning."

That made Acario's usual grin drop. (This morning, you say...)

(Acario,) Estrid began, (Before last night, the Howler was only looking for one...Hooloovoo. Now it's looking for two. There must be another Howler!)

(If there were two hunting me, there would have been two there last night. Howlers don't take chances; they play to win.)

(Then where did this second Howler come from? I know we killed the first one.)

"You need to go," the sentient repeated. "I don't wish to see you both slaughtered, and not in my diner. Please, go. Run away. Leave the planet. You're a generous sentient, Hooloovoo. I don't wish that on you."

Acario nodded. (We should go,) he agreed. (We've got other places to be anyway. Thanks for the info. Enjoy the salt.)

The two exited into the pressing crowd again. (We should morph,) Estrid suggested. (As it is, we stand out very vividly.)

(Good point,) Acario nodded. He pressed a hand against the next being he passed, a snakelike creature with a long gash on its stomach for a mouth and a single eye at the end of its body. Estrid did likewise with a roughly dog-like creature. They stepped out of sight, into a dark alley, and morphed. A few minutes later, they were as unremarkable as it was possible for them to be.

(Salt?) Estrid questioned when the re-entered the crowd.)

(A delicacy in Kelbrid space. There aren't a whole lot of places to mine it.)

(Could they not desalinate the oceans?)

(They could, if most of the oceans had salt water. As it is... I made sure to stockpile a bunch of that before we left. Here, it's better than money, and less traceable.)

(I worry about the Howlers. How many do you think there are?)

(One. Like I said, they play for keeps. If there were two on this planet, we would have encountered two last night instead of just that one and a handful of idiots.)

(But we killed the one last night.)

(Apparently not. Like I said, Howlers don't die easy.)

(That one did. I am certain of it.)

They argued over the probability of more Howlers for the next several centirotes as they made their way to the address the restaurant's proprietor had given them. As far as residences in the production yards went, it was nice. A tall building, probably a converted factory. The outside was clean, if not polished, and the street around it was kept free of debris. The metal sheeting was pounded down intentionally here. If one had to live in the production yards, this was the place to do it.

Acario slithered through the front door with Estrid following. (We're looking for someone,) Acario said to the being behind the desk. It looked oddly like a sunflower with a bee perching on it's face. (About six-feet high, blue, tail with a sharp blade.)

"Four eyezzzzzkinny armzzzz?" it buzzed.

(That would be him,) Estrid answered.

"Hezzzere. To be honezzzt, I don't much care for him. Givezzzzzzme a bad feeling."

(He has that effect on people,) Acario answered. (Is he here now?)

"He left a few hourzzzzago. Most of hizzzfriends are still here. He'll be back. I don't know when."

(That's all we need for now. Could you give me a buzz when he comes back? I can make it worth it for you,) Acario suggested. Estrid rummaged through his satchel until she found some more salt. She set it on the counter.

"I don't zzzzzzzee any problem with that," it answered. Acario listed off their ship's contact information and they left.

They were about halfway back to the ship when Estrid stopped. (Acario...let's go down that alley. Not down this street.)

(Any reason?)

(I...I just have a very bad feeling about it. I...we should go down the alley.)

If he possessed shoulders, Acario would have shrugged. (If you say so.)

Estrid led them down the alley and then stopped at an intersection. (It is getting worse. Something...it is bad. I...we should demorph.)

(You feeling alright?) Acario asked, though he did start to demorph. He felt a little uneasy too. Just Estrid making him paranoid. That's what he told himself.

(I...No, I am not,) she answered. She had, naturally, finished demorphing before he had. She was by far the most talented morpher Acario had ever seen. His cousin had been a professional _estreen_ and she didn't come anywhere close to Estrid's talent. She waited for him but was clearly agitated. She paced around him in a circle, eyes darting every direction.

Acario just finished demorphing when he heard a sound from above him. That was the direction Andalites tended to forget about. They were an overland species; looking up was not natural to them. Both turned all four eyes towards the sound. There was a figure silhouetted in top of a nearby roof. It was about human sized and shaped, with a bow-legged posture.

(Howler!) Acario called. He raised his Shredder-gauntlet and opened fire. Estrid did the same. The Howler leapt from the roof onto one near them. They followed, a line of Shredder fire trailing behind the monster. It only ran faster. It was drawing closer and closer. Faster than the other one had been, it seemed.

(Estrid! Get to the ship.)

(I am a warrior too, Acario.)

(Well, I'm not. I'm a crook, and that's why there's this bounty on my head. You've got a mission to complete. Go tell Ally that Aximili is here. He needs to know I'll meet up with you later.)

(A soldier does not abandon her friends,) Estrid argued.

(I'm not a soldier!) Acario answered.

(Yes you are! You agreed to come on this mission, you agreed to accept Alloran's authority. You are a soldier whether you like it or not!)

(Estrid, please! Just go!)

(No!)

(GO!) Acario shouted. Then, quietly, as though he did not want to admit it, he added, (I can't let anything happen to you.)

Estrid paused. For all his disgusting advances in the past, he sounded like he meant it. Had she misjudged him? Perhaps his intentions were more honest than they seemed.

Of course, then he added, (You're the best looking girl I've seen in years. I can't let a Howler carve you up!)

It was the sincerity she had heard sneaking through his words earlier that decided Estrid. She began morphing immediately. Crow. It could fly. She could get to the ship, inform Alloran, and then get back to help Acario. She was certain he would still be alive. He wasn't the type to risk his life.

Acario opened fire on the Howler again. This time, he aimed under the Howler's feet, a the building. Chunks of it blasted away and the bounty hunter fell several stories to the ground. There was a sickening crack of splintering bone as it landed. Only a few moments later, it was on its feet again. It was enough time for Estrid to morph and fly away.

"Come and play, Andalite."

Acario smiled as one stalk eye watched the fleeing crow. (How about tag?) Acario posed as the Howler advanced on him. He waited until it was only a foot away before he moved. He snapped both hands up in front of him. One aligned the crystals of his _cestus_, shielding him. The other was his Shredder-gauntlet. He pushed it through the shield and fired. The flashback numbed his hand, but the shield protected him. The Howler flew several feet backwards, a smoking hole where its chest used to be. It was already healing as Acario watched. (You're it.)

* * *

><p>Sabion and Rah Jaget stood a few paces apart, facing each other. The Warrior had learned the hard way that, left alone, the Hork-bajir would just stare into space, cutting herself inadvertently until she again collapsed, screaming about an eye. Sabion had found a way to keep them both busy, though. Something he enjoyed.<p>

The Andaltie slashed his tailblade at Rah Jaget. The Hork-bajir danced backwards, out of Sabion's reach, only to rush forward again with a slash of her own. Sabion stepped back and parried it, striking once more. Rah Jaget deflected the blow and countered. So it went. Attack, parry, counter. Strike, dodge, counter. Over and over again. It kept Rah Jaget's mind focused. And it gave Sabion something to do.

They fought for a few decirotes before Sabion became aware of someone else in the bubble. He tilted one stalk-eye back and saw Alludra standing casually, watching. The young warrior started pressing his attacks harder. Rah Jaget began to fall back, a look of concentration growing on her face. Sabion pressed harder still, forcing the Hork-bajir around the bubble, keeping him on the defensive.

Rah Jaget backpedled, her arms swinging faster than he realized they could. She was tired and barely holding up. It was a matter of moments now, she knew. Unless she...did something. What? What to do? What would her Yeerk have done? Her eyes fell on a tree. Rah Jaget started retreating towards it as Sabion battered at her. Rah Jaget's wristblades and elbowblades caught the blows, but her arms were almost completely numb now. They felt like lead. Nevertheless, she was not about to just give up.

The Hork-bajir stopped with her back to the tree. She watched Sabion bring his tail back for another strike. Then, Rah Jaget lept straight up. There was a satisfying THWOK as Sabion's tailblade got buried in the trunk of the tree. Rah Jaget landed behind the Andalte and pressed his wristblade to his throat. "Rah Jaget win."

Sabion twitched his tail, activating the laser-sheath around it. The trunk of the tree was no longer any sort of barrier to him. He twitched it off as soon as he had his tail free. (Good, Rah Jaget...) He trailed off. It was embarrassing, really, to be beaten by a Hork-bajir. And in front of Alludra...

He was about to speak to her when Alloran entered the bubble. (Have you informed him?) he asked.

(He was occupied,) Alludra answered. She focused on Sabion. (We received word from Estrid. They've located Prince Aximili. But Acario is under attack by a bounty hunter. A creature called a Howler. According to Acario's reports, they're extremely dangerous.)

"Howler..Howler red?" Rah Jaget asked.

(Affirmative,) Alloran answered.

"Rah Jaget see grey Andalite fight Howler," he said matter of factly. As an afterthought, she added, "Rah Jaget see dead Andalite."

All turned to stare at her. After a few moments, Alludra asked, (You saw a dead Andalite. Acario? They greyish one?)

"Tall grey Andalite. Fight red alien. Rah Jaget see. Rah Jaget see grey Andalite die.)

Alloran shivered. Alludra would never believe it, he knew. Sabion would. Calnen...who knew? But as for him... He had seen far too many strange things to ignore something like this. At last, he said, (Rah Jaget. You think you see the future.)

"Rah Jaget see not-now. After now," the Hork-bajir confirmed. With a smile, she added, "Future."

(You said you saw Acario die.) Rah Jaget nodded. Alloran's eyes fell on the tree. (And you said you saw that branch fall from the tree?) The Hork-bajir nodded.

Alloran stalked over to the tree and twitched his tailblade, activating the laser-sheath. (What are you doing, father?) she asked.

The old War-Prince hacked through the trunk in one clean blow. The whole tree fell to the ground. (Changing the future.)


	12. Chapter 12

Acario spun around, knocking over a creature that looked like a cross between an elephant and a slug as he did so. The building was crowded, filled with all kinds of different creatures. The Howler was walking through the front door almost casually. Acario barely aimed before he fired his palm Shredder twice. The two beams of green light stabbed into the Howler's eyes. The monster stumbled back, clutching at its face. Acario moved.

He ducked down, morphing as he ran. The snake-like thing he had acquired earlier; that would blend in better. There were several of them here. Some sort of restaurant, Acario guessed; not that it mattered. He ran for the kitchen as fast as he could, though he fell to the floor when his legs retracted. A few precious moments later, he was slithering along. He ignored the shouts of the cooking staff as he shoved through them, slithering out the back door.

Less than three blocks later, he stopped in his tracks as the Howler emerged from around a corner, a hideous smile on its face. Acario had intended to try and pass himself off as just another...whatever this thing was... but somehow, he could tell that the Howler knew. It began trotting towards him, its claws retracting and springing out again in anticipation.

Acario raised his Shredder arm, more thankful than ever before that Estrid and the other scientists had designed a morph-capable weapon. Just as he fired, the Howler opened its mouth, cutting through the noise of the city and deafening the Andalite with an almost concussive "**KEEERRRROOOOWW!**"

The world disappeared into a haze of red. There was no sound but the Howler's trademark screech. Acario fell over, his Shredder firing wildly. A few moments later, the haze cleared, and the sound faded. The sigh that replaced it may have been worse. The Howler stood over Acario, one claw gripping him by his serpentine neck. The other was raised for a killing blow.

Acario stared up at the Howler. Something higher up caught his eye. The blasts from his Shredder had cut a line of destruction along the top of the building next to them, badly weakening it. With one good shot, there was a chance...

The Howler leaned in close. "My master commands your death, Andalite. Game over." Then, the strangest thing happened. The Howler leaned in even closer and kissed him, sharp teeth scraping over the space just below his morphs eye. It was enough time for Acario to snap out one final shot. There was a CRACK as a chunk of the building broke loose. The Howler looked up. Acario fired at the Howler, the force of the blast at such close range pushing them both apart and tearing Acario out of the Howler's grip.

Something surged within Acario, a feeling he could not describe. For a moment, it felt like he was holding his breath, watching a spinning coin, waiting to see which way it would land. His heart pounded and time seemed to slow. Then, all at once, the coin landed and time sped up again. The Howler took a step forward.

A hundred pounds of Kelbrid concrete-analogue crushed it flat.

Acario demorphed, gasping. The odds of that...impossible. His luck had always been good, but this... His thoughts cut off as he noticed something seeping out from beneath the chunk of building. A red and black gel that was slowly turning tan and liquifying.

Not wanting to touch whatever it was, Acario hollowed out a bowl from a larger piece of the building and scooped up some of it. Estrid had made some kind of super-virus. She could probably figure out what this stuff was. One thing was clear, though. Whatever he had just killed was no Howler.

Alloran, Alludra, and Calnen waited on the nameless ship's bridge, eight eyes glued on the planet below. Neither Alloran nor Alludra voiced their silent fear that they would be too late to rescue Acario. Sabion was keeping watch over Rah Jaget as usual. Calnen was guiding their ship into place. A voice crackled over the ship's external communications sytem.

(War-Prince Alloran?) Calnen began. (We are within orbit of the planet. Spaceport authorities are requesting identification. As our ship has none, I do not know what to tell them...)

Alloran swiveled an eye to gaze at Calnen. (I'm not deaf, you know. I can hear them just fine. Steady, Calnen. Tell them nothing.)

(Sir?)

(Keep flying. Bring us down to land as close to the fighter's beacon as you can. Ignore the authorities.)

(Sir, will that not - )

Alloran's tailblade twitched. (I did not take you for the type to question me, Calnen.)

(Yes, Sir.)

Alludra sighed. (Father, they _will_ want to know who we are and what we are doing here. We cannot just ignore them.)

(Our presence here is an act of war. This ship is an invading force,) Alloran answered. (Telling them the truth will start a war we cannot afford. Lying will be more trouble than it is worth.)

The voice crackled over the communications again. (Sir,) Calnen repeated.

(What did I tell you?) Alloran answered. (Just. Keep. Flying.)

(You heard what he said,) Alludra argued. (They will be sending fighters to intercept us.)

(Good for them. What are they going to do, shoot us down?)

(Yes! That is exactly what they said!) Alludra answered.

(I'd like to see that. If they open fire on us, I will take the weapons station myself. The four Shredder batteries on this ship are upgraded versions of the ones on Dome ships. The shielding is at a comparable level.)

(That still does not mean fighting their whole planet is an advisable course of action,) Alludra answered.

(Sir, I must agree with Alludra. We should negotiate our way through proper channels. Acario's information has provided us with enough-)

(We don't have time!) Alloran shouted. (I don't care if we have some incident with the spaceport authorities! Right now, I have reason to believe that my people is in trouble down there. First, we extract our people. _Then_, we worry about any diplomatic necessities. Something you should have learned in your history lessons, Calnen. My first priority is always to my own. Land near the fighter's beacon. If they send escorts, ignore them. If they attack, I will kill them.)

Calnen lowered his stalks. (Yes, Sir.)

The communications system crackled again. Alludra pressed a palm to the pad next to it and hissed something in the Taxxon language. There was a pause. The voice came again. Something about it sounded uncertain. Alludra hissed again, louder this time. When the authorities tried to speak a third time, Alludra shut down the communications system. (There. Now they will think we do not speak any language known to them. That gives us perfect reason to ignore them.)

Alloran grumbled something vaguely approving.

They were making their descent into the atmosphere when the communications system lit up again. (Ignore them,) Alloran commanded.

(Sir? I think - )

(I said ignore them!) Alloran shouted.

Alludra sighed. (Dad? That's the fighter's channel.)

(Oh.) Then, (CALNEN! What are you waiting for! Answer it!)

(Yes, Sir,) Calnen answered, trying very hard not to sigh. The flat of Alloran's blade in the back of his head confirmed that he failed. A life-sized hologram of Estrid appeared before the communcations system.

(War-Prince Alloran. There is a complication. We believe we have found the Yeerks. But Acario is in grave danger and needs your help. Please, come as soon as you are able.)

(How about two minutes?) Alloran answered.

(Two minutes? But how...you were already in the system?)

(Things on Svutan were complicated. I will explain later. Do you know where Acario is right now?)

(I built tracers into all of the equipment I issued for this mission,) Estrid answered. (You can follow his movements exactly.)

(Alright. Get in that fighter and follow us. Calnen, take us to Acario. Now.)

(Directly to him?) Calnen asked.

(You're feeling insubordinate today, Calnen. Do. As. I. Say.)

(Yes, Sir.)

Acario was halfway back to the fighter when he felt the fur on the back of his head stand on end. Again he felt that strange, twisting sensation he had felt when the concrete fell on the Howler. He turned a corner. A blast of laser fire tore a chunk out of the street just behind him. (What now?) he wondered. Readying his Shredder gauntlet, he peered one stalk eye around the corner. Through an open window of a building down the street, he could just barely make out another Howler. (Three Howlers after me? No chance.) He spared another glance for the bowl he carried, filled with that strange goo. No, they weren't Howlers. But what were they?

They looked like Howlers. They certainly fought like them – though Acario had to admit that the first one had died more easily than he expected. And clearly they had Howler healing powers. But three Howlers wouldn't be hunting down one Andalite. And even if they were, they wouldn't go about it this way, coming after him one at a time. It was almost as though they didn't know about each other, or were working independently, but Acario knew that was impossible. Whenever a group of Howlers was in an area, they operated together. So what was going on here?

It was largely irrelevant at the moment, of course. Acario returned fire. The Howler leaped from the window, straight into the Shredder blasts. They fizzled away limbs, but the Howler ignored it. It fell three stories to the ground. A moment later, it was standing straight up, unharmed. Acario groaned as it advanced on him, its own energy weapon tearing pieces out of the wall and street. Energy bolts bounced off of the Andalite's cetsu shield as he held his position, returning fire.

It was a pointless fight. No matter how many times he shot the Howler, the thing was healed up again in seconds. By himself, there was no way Acario could do enough damage to kill it. Not before it could heal back up. He sighed and turned around, dashing down the street as fast as he could. The whole situation was confusing. Howlers fighting like themselves but acting strangely – and dissolving into strange goo when they were killed. This wasn't right, and until he knew what he was actually dealing with, Acario had no desire to stand and fight it.

Estrid. Chemistry was her chosen field of study. She would be able to tell what this gooey stuff was. Maybe that would tell Acario what he needed to know. And maybe then he'd be able to get these ones off of his back.

Estrid's saw Alloran's ship in the skies above Ulian. Two ships of a strange, bell-shaped design were flanking the spherical ship, but Alloran seemed to be ignoring them. Estrid herself was in the cockpit of the fighter ship, flying low and with the cloak up to avoid notice. Some probably saw the tell-tale ripple of air that announced a hidden ship, but she doubted anyone would comment on it to anyone important. She zoomed just over the buildings of Ulian, going straight to Acario's beacon. Estrid had never considered herself more than a competent pilot, but she had learned a thing or two from an Andalite named Gonrod. Though a notorious coward in any other situation, the Andalite was fearless while flying.

Something caught Estrid's eye as she neared Acario's position, but she flew too fast to get a good look at it. Reluctantly, she circled around and decelerated. As she neared the location again, she saw it. It was a Howler, standing on top of a building. It looked like the other two she had seen, but it was carrying a good deal of equipment. A large pack on its back had some sort of antenna – communications or monitoring equipment, she guessed. It wore a bandoleer across its chest, but instead of carrying ammunition or explosives, there were dozens of small, tube-shaped containers. Very odd.

It held a visor to its eyes and was gazing in the direction Estrid's tracking equipment assured her led to Acario. This Howler was observing. Was that odd for them? She had no idea.

She opened a channel to Alloran's ship. It took a moment before Calnen answered. He was rubbing the back of his head and was squinting in pain. (Greetings again, Estrid. What is it?)

(I've got a Howler here. He's on top of a building, and seems to be observing Acario and his pursuer. Would the War-Prince like me to apprehend the Howler, or go after Acario?)

(Get Acario,) Alloran answered. (This ship is equipped with four capital-grade Shredder batteries. I will 'apprehend' the Howler.)

(Yes, sir,) Estrid answered, trying not to show her opinion of Alloran destroying a building on a Kelbrid world. Hopefully, Alludra could convince him to utilize some tact. She peeled away from the Howler, making way again for Acario's position. He was on the move, though not too quickly. Clearly, he was still on hoof.

It was easy enough to catch up to him, but considerably harder to find a way to extract him. Unlike Alloran, Estrid was not in favor of turning her fighter's weapons against buildings or civilians. Acario seemed to be keeping away from the Howler pursuing him, but it did not look like he was going to lose the creature any time soon. Though Acario was faster, beings of all sorts made way for the Howler. Neither looked like they were going to tire.

Finally, Acario turned into a wide alley. Estrid accelerated and overtook him, bringing the ship down at the far end and aimed the Shredder at the Howler. She hesitated before firing, though. The ship was still cloaked, invisible. Neither seemed to know she was there. Acario ran with abandon, speeding forward as fast as he could.

Straight into the cloaked ship.

He fell to the ground with a cry. That was when Estrid decided to fire. Not even the Howler's regenerative abilities were a match for the powerful Shredder canon the fighter carried. It sizzled for a moment, and then disappeared without a trace.

As Acario struggled to his feet, Estrid uncloaked the ship and opened the Ramonite door. She spent the next several minutes insisting that she hadn't intended for Acario to run into the ship.

It was a harmless lie.

Calnen tore through the skies of Ulian, feeling close to panicking. Any minute now, these ships would get tired of flanking them and open fire. Alloran would begin shooting at the Ulians, and things would only degenerate from there. (Sir, with all due respect-)

(Why do you keep talking?) Alloran wondered.

(I do not mean to be insubordinate, sir. It is only that, as your tactical adviser, I feel that it is within the realm of my duties to advise you that-)

(Calnen? If this keeps up, I am going to advise you to begin searching our database for the best way to extract your own tail from -)

(Father? Calnen?) Alludra interrupted. (The communications relay?)

Calnen answered it without thinking and was rewarded with the flat of Alloran's tailblade in the back of his head. It was the third time in less than an hour. The caller was Estrid again. Acario was visible in the background, bleeding from a head injury.

(I see you got him,) Alloran greeted her. (Good job. The Howler you mentioned was not at the coordinates you specified, though. I assume he saw you and moved.)

(He could not have noticed me,) Estrid argued.

(Howlers, I hear, have good eyes,) Alloran answered.

(But he was focusing on Acario. It takes concentration or a great deal of luck to notice the slight ripple a cloaked ship gives off.)

Acario butted in. (Howlers can see heat. Probably saw the heat from your engines.)

(Then why did the one chasing you not notice me?) Estrid responded.

(I don't know. Maybe he was too focused on me to notice.)

(Too focused to notice a ship landing in front of him?) she answered.

Acario had no response to that.

(It is irrelevant now. Why are they after you?) Alloran demanded.

(I killed someone important a few years back,) Acario explained. (They're bounty hunters.)

(They will lose track of you when we exit the system.)

(A Howler? Don't be so sure, old man. Something...weird...is going on here.)

(Estrid? You said you found the Yeerks. Where?)

(What are you going to do?) she answered.

(What any logical commander would do. I am going to fly to where they are, point all four of these batteries at them, and fire them all at once.)

(And if Prince Aximili is with them?) she asked.

(That was only a rough plan.)


	13. Chapter 13

It did not take long for the two ships to reach the building where the Yeerks were staying. They stopped above it, both ships hovering over the building. Their escorts stopped as well, unsure how to proceed. The communications relay warned them that the two ships were trying to contact them. Alloran ignored it. Instead, he walked over to the south weapons station. (Alludra, take the west weapons station. Calnen, set us to hover and take the east.)

(Do you want me to summon Warrior Sabion?) Calnen asked.

(No. Leave him to watch the Hork-bajir. I don't know how she'll feel about this. I will concentrate fire on the building. If the two fighters make any move to attack us or Acario's ship, destroy them. We will not be here long.)

(Understood,) Calnen agreed. Alludra nodded as well.

Alloran stood ready. (Fire on my mark.) He aimed the weapons at the building below him. There were many innocents inside. Aliens who had nothing to do with the Yeerks, and likely little to do with their Kelbrid overlords. This was not their fight. It was unfortunate that they would die for it. Yet Alloran had never been the type to let that stop him. Once, he had advocated destroying the entire Yeerk homeworld, after they had betrayed the Andalties and stolen off into space. Once, he had unleashed a virus on the Hork-bajir that devastated their population. Once, he had ordered a young _aristh_ named Elfangor to destroy a transport full of unhosted, helpless Yeerks. Elfangor hadn't done it.

That was who Alloran used to be. Was he still that same Andalite? He knew, ethically, that Elfangor had been right. There was little moral justification for destroying the innocent in order to punish the guilty. It was difficult logic to justify. But war required ruthlessness. It was Seerow's Kindness that had damned the galaxy, caused the enslavement of dozens of races. Only ruthlessness such as Alloran's could undo that damage. That was the way to win.

Yet had it won? All of his ruthlessness, all of his cold, calculated decisions and where had it gotten him? More than two decades as a Yeerk host, the only Andalite-Controller in all the galaxy. It was Elfangor who had showed mercy to his enemies and kindness to those in need – it was Elfangor who had become the hero. He had escaped the trap on the Taxxon world and become renowned for his bravery, cunning, and skill. And it was Elfangor's Gift that finally broke the curse of Seerow's Kindness. It was his pity for the poor, primitive humans who were going to be enslaved by the Yeerks, the people he could not save. It was his faith in the children to whom he gave the power to morph. Elfangor's way was the one that ultimately succeeded. Alloran's had gotten him nothing.

(Stand down.)

(Father?)

(Sir?)

(You heard me,) Alloran insisted. (Power down the weapons. Calnen, get me a channel to Acario. I need him to talk down those fighters. We're going in on hoof.)

(Yes sir.)

A moment later, Acario appeared in the middle of the bridge. (Hey, Uncle Ally. Where's all the explosions? I thought we had this place scheduled for demolition.)

(Change of plans. I need you to get those fighters away from me, then dock with us. We are going in on hoof, and I will need Estrid's help.)

(If you're sure that's how you want to play it,) Acario conceded. Over a wide-band channel, he addressed the fighters. (Hey there. Sorry about the Captain there. He only speaks Hooloovoo. We are from the Hooloovoo Empire, rulers of the Hork-bajir, Ssstram, Mak, and Taxxons. We have come to apprehend a rogue and a criminal from our own empire, hiding on your planet. You may observe, but do not interfere.)

The ships did not withdraw but they did not move any closer. (I think that'll do it,) Acario answered as Estrid brought the ship in to dock with the bubble ship. (You want me down there with you?)

(No. You will stay on the ship and watch over the Hork-bajir we obtained.)

(A Hork?)

(She seems to possess some sort of precognitive ability. Estrid will be able to explain things better once Rah Jaget has been analyzed.)

(Riiiight...)

(Alludra, check your equipment, then find Sabion. I will be in the south tower, in Estrid's fighter. You two will meet us there. Calnen, remain to pilot the ship. Let's end this now.)

Estrid was eager to feel grass beneath her hooves again, though she knew she could not return to the larger ship until this mission was complete. Acario stood by the exit hatch, waiting for his chance to depart. (Hey, Estrid?)

(What is it, Acario?)

(I don't know what you're going to run into down there. Taxxons aren't dangerous, but...well, you've seen Hork-bajir. And if Prince Aximili is a Host now...well... Just...take care of yourself, alright?) He was quiet for a few moments, as though he was arguing silently with himself. Then, he shook hi shead and added, (I wouldn't want anything messing up those pretty legs of yours. Maybe I should take some images, just in case?)

(I will be in little danger,) Estrid answered. (Alloran is an extremely experienced commander, and Sabion is very talented. Thought I have not seen Alludra fight aside from the few sparring matches we have engaged in, I can assure you that she has her father's talent for warfare.)

(You don't have to tell me that,) Acario answered, rubbing the side of his head. (I think she did some permanent damage to me over the years. Just...watch out, alright? We lost track of that Howler, you don't know where he might be. He knows you were with me, though. If he gets his hands on you-)

(You seem to be under the impression I am helpless,) Estrid answered. (Shall I disabuse you of that notion with my tail?)

(There's something weird about these Howlers. I dropped part of a building on one, and he turned into this...goo. I have some with me. I figured you could take a look at it. They fight like Howlers, but they don't act like them. Not really. It's...weird. I don't get it. Something funny is going on.)

(I will be fine,) she insisted. (Have fun with your Hork-bajir.)

(Yeah. Yeah.)

Estrid pulled into the ship and set the ship to a hover. Acario reached a hand towards the interface to open the hatch. (Hey, Estrid...I just wanted to say that...these couple of days have -)

A tail pounded on the hatch. (Open this door, you lout!) Alloran shouted.

Acario shook his head, then smirked. (They've been pretty exciting. If you want a little help relaxing once you get back, I have a few activities in mind that'll help.) He opened the door and jumped out, ducking Estrid and Alloran's tails as he ran away.

(He is an idiot. I am sorry to have made you spend so much time alone with him,) Alloran apologized.

(It was not wholly unpleasant,) Estrid admitted.

(You drank something he gave you, didn't you?)

Sabion grimaced as Estrid landed the fighter. It was extremely crowded and though he did not mind being packed in with Alludra, any joy he would have derived from that was eliminated by the fact that Alloran was pressed in next to him, just as close. The old War-Prince was the closest one to the exit hatch. He would be taking point, with Sabion just behind and beside him. Alludra would take the other side and Estrid would cover the rear. It was a standard Andaltie formation.

As soon as the ship touched down, Alloran raced out of the hatch. He did not bother knocking on the door, or even opening it. He aimed his Shredder gauntlet and blew the door to pieces with a barrage of green fire. The War-Prince galloped through and was at the front desk in an instant, his tail at the throat of a bee-like creature. (A Hooloovoo. Like me. Where is he?)

"Heezzzz two levelzzzzup. Haazzzz the whole level to hizzzzelf and hizzz friendzzzzzz."

For no particular reason, Alloran batted the creature in the side of the head, knocking it out. The four of them raced down the hall and into a lift. A few moments later, they emerged on the third level of the building. Alloran greeted it with a barrage of Shredder fire.

The hallway was empty. (Perhaps you are a little overeager, father?) Alludra suggested.

(Just keep your eyes open. Sabion, shoot any doors on your side of the hallway. Alludra, you do the same. Estrid, keep focused behind us. We will advance to the end of the hallway.)

They did as they were told, Alludran and Sabion destroying the doors as they passed. Every room was the same, completely empty of life. The rooms near the lift were obviously former Taxxon lairs. Rotting piles of who-knew-what filled them, and some rooms even had holes chewed through the walls into the next rooms. Beyond that were the Hork-bajir quarters, recognizable from the gouges on the furniture. By the time they reached the final room at the end of the hall, the level looked like a warzone, in spite of the fact that the Andalites seemed to be alone.

Nevertheless, Alloran blew the door out of the wall rather than open it normally. He raised his arm to fill the room with green fire but stopped. Someone was here. The lights in the room were off, and there were no windows so it was hard to be sure of details, but it was definitely human-shaped. _So shoot_, part of Alloran argued. _That's the point of the shooting. To kill anyone here_.

_But no one is here_, another part of his mind argued. _They're gone, you fool. This one is the only one who remains. To kill them would be foolish. You need information._

_If one being was left behind, it is a trap,_ Alloran argued.

_It is all you have._

Alloran conceded that to himself and entered the room. His Shredder was still aimed at the figure, but he did not fire. Sabion and Alludra filed in behind him, their weapons also aimed at the figure. Alludra pressed a switch on the wall, bringing up the lights. Alloran gasped, recognizing the human sitting in the middle of the room.

He was tall for a human, though he was so thin that his height was not likely to be imposing. His hair was somewhere between black and brown. He had hazel eyes, which carried no expression. There was a satisfied smirk on his face that reminded Alloran greatly of Marco. He looked to be about forty Earth years old. His clothing was Earth-casual, though he wore it formally, with his shirt tucked in.

"Alloran. It's been a while, hasn't it? I don't think you and I have spoken since my first days on the Blade ship. You've changed. Your mind used to be stronger."

(Efflit One-Three-One-Eight. You were the one behind the rebels who seized the Blade ship.)

"Of course. Do you think they would have gone through with that on their own? If nothing else, our old friend Esplin knew how to inspire terror."

(Where is Prince Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill?)

"You know better than that, Alloran. I never do something for free. Of course, I wouldn't be here if there wasn't something you could do for me."

Alloran snapped his tail forward, swiping it across the Controller's neck. He drew a line of blood across his throat. (How about I let you keep your head?)

"Ah... You and Esplin always were meant for each other. 

Alludra took a step forward, her tail cracking the air. (Say that again.)

"The Butcher and the Abomination. They always were a fitting pair. But their methods never yield any results. Isn't that right, Estrid? Mind over might. That's your way. And it worked so well for Arbat."

Estrid fired a shot into the ceiling. (War-Prince Alloran, if you do not need this Yeerk, I would be more than happy to dispose of him for you.)

"Ah, but he _does_ need me, and he knows it. Your friend Aximili was taken from here as soon as we sensed you in the system. You'll never find him on your own."

(We found him here,) Sabion pointed out.

"Yes, and that did not do you much good. Ah, Sabion. I have heard of you. Tell me, how does it feel to know they sent you here just because you were of no use to them? You could never have been anything but a Warrior, and now you have no war to fight."

(I have you,) Sabion answered.

"Oh please. I could take your life with a wave of my hand."

Sabion could feel the truth of his words. That was the real reason they sent him out on this mission, wasn't it? The War Council, the others... They sent him here because he was useless to them. They hoped he died out here. That was what they wanted from him. Why fight that? Everyone wanted him dead. Alloran despised him. Calnen looked down on him. Alludra felt nothing for him, Estrid ignored him, and even Acario seemed to be better liked and more useful. No one would miss him. So why bother going back?

Alludra stared at Sabion as he slowly raised his tail. He wasn't intending to strike the Yeerk, but what was he doing? The blade was angled - (SABION!) Alludra shouted. She slapped her tail against his, knocking it to the side. The force of Sabion's strike sank his blade into the metal of the floor. (What were you dong!) she demanded.

The Yeerk laughed. "The hand wave is unnecessary, of course. Oh Alloran, such wonderful friends you have found. This one's mind is even softer than yours."

(What are you talking about?) Alloran demanded. (Sabion, get hold of yourself.)

"You know what I'm talking about, Alloran. You saw what I could do firsthand while you were Esplin's slave. Now, if you are done being childish about this, we have business together."

(I don't deal with Yeerks.)

Efflit only snorted at that. "You want Prince Aximili. As it so happens, I am looking for someone as well. In this, we can help each other."

(The Allseer.)

"Yes and no. I do not know where he is – he hides well. And I could not imagine that you know, either. But you have the means to find out. I understand you recently came into possession of a Hork-bajir named Rah Jaget, capable of seeing the future."

(I have no idea what you're talking about.)

"Alloran, Alloran, your thoughts are clear as water. And even if they weren't, your large friend is completely transparent. At least your daughter and Estrid are made of tougher stuff. You should have let them come by themselves. Things might have gone better for you. I felt Rah Jaget as soon as she was transformed. I feel her above us now. Along with another one, rather recently awoken, it seems, though there are hints of it in his past. I sense a strong connection to you. Interesting. A son you did not know about? No, no...A nephew, perhaps?"

(Father, he knows far too much. Kill him now,) Alludra suggested.

"Like father, like daughter. Interesting, I think, the similarities she shares with your old master. I wonder if she'll share your fate? So many Yeerks would love a host such as her."

(Leave my daughter out of this.)

"A little late to feel protective, don't you think? My terms are simple. Send Rah Jaget down to me, and I will tell you where you can find Prince Aximili."

(Kill him,) Alludra insisted. Alloran flexed his fingers in his Shredder and centered it on the Yeerk's head.

_Shoot him_, part of Alloran's mind screamed.

_No, don't. You need his information_, another part of him argued.

_He knows things he could not possibly know. He must die._

_You should find out how he knows these things. What if one of your team is a spy?_

_That is impossible._

_Then how can he know about Rah Jaget? One of them must be a traitor._

_Impossible._

_It could be any of them._

_Not Estrid or Acario. They don't know Rah Jaget's name. Alludra is impossible, too. She is always in my sight._

_Then it must be Calnen or Sabion._

_Sabion is far too stupid._

_You leave Calnen alone often on the bridge. He could send information to the Yeerks any time._

(Father, shoot him,) Alludra repeated.

Alloran shook himself and glared at the Yeerk. (You are a disgusting creature. Even your own kind find you perverse.)

"Said the pot to the kettle," Efflit answered. "Let's not be childish about this. Rah Jaget. You bring her to me, I give you Aximili."

(I am not about to turn over-)

"Oh, come now, Alloran. Don't pretend to some nobility you do not possess. You're simply trading a Hork-bajir for an Andalite. It is not even a remotely even exchange and you know it. We both know how much more you value your own kind. Bring Rah Jaget to me."

(Do you want us to bring her back here?)

"And risk you changing your mind and blowing this building to pieces? No, no, I would rather not risk that again. It was surprisingly difficult to dissuade you from that last time. Bring Rah Jaget to the port district, Bay Three-Eight-Seven. Come down in the fighter, just the two of you. You'll be leaving with Prince Aximili."

Alloran stared at the Yeerk for several moments. Finally, he nodded, then turned around and strode out the door. (We're going back to the ship.)

(Sir,) Estrid began.

(Never argue with me.)


	14. Chapter 14

Acario got them a docking bay near bay 387 and put the bubble ship down there. A bit if salt convinced their escort to confirm that they were harmless, so they were finally being left alone. Alloran and Rah Jaget stood in the fighter as Alloran brought it over bay 387. The Hork-bajir was quiet. No one had informed her of what was going to happen. If there was any truth to her claims, she probably knew already.

Bay 387 held a largish ship. It was about two thirds the size of a Blade ship, around two-hundred feet long. The design was very definitely Yeerkish. It was painted the darkest shade of black available and sported the sharp angels and sleek lines that yeerks liked in their ships. It was basically a cylinder with an X of swept-back wings crossing through it in the middle. It was thinner near the front and got noticeably larger where the wings joined. Most likely, they had melded the Yeerk transport craft to a local ship.

Efflit 1318 was standing outside of the ship, with several Hork-bajir behind him. Two of them were holding an Andalite's tail behind his back while a third held him still. There was no mistaking it. It was definitely Prince Aximili. Alloran brought the fighter in for a landing and pushed Rah Jaget out of the hatch, following her. (Here's the Hork-bajir. Now give me Prince Aximili.)

"So demanding," Efflit answered, smiling. "You catch more flies with honey, you know."

Alloran put his tailblade against the Hork-bajir's neck. (Give me Prince Aximili, or the key to finding this Allseer you want will be beyond your reach forever.)

"Oh, much better. See, that's using your head, Alloran. Of course..." Efflit raised a hand and the Hork-bajir Controllers leveled Dracon beams at the two of them. "...do you think you can strike faster than one of these Dracon beams can stun you? I doubt it, but I do not like to take chances. So what say you pass her over to me and we all walk away."

(I will give her to you when Prince Aximili is in my ship.)

"Of course, of course." At a nod from Efflit, the Hork-bajir marched Aximili towards the fighter. They were almost to the hatch when Ax stopped moving and Efflit flinched. A moment later, something landed on top of the fighter. It was a large bird, very far from home.

(Tobias...) Alloran whispered.

(Alloran,) he answered. He turned his eyes on Aximili. (Gotta say, this is kind of out of character. Ax was never one for games. So how about you reveal yourself?) He turned his golden gaze on Efflit. (Or I rip this Yeerk out of its host's head.)

A moment passed. Then, the Hork-bajir let go of Ax's arms and tail. The Andalite straightened up. Immediately, Alloran could tell there was something wrong with him. Something about his posture or...it was difficult to define. But Alloran could sense from him the same menace that had pervaded his own soul when he was enslaved by Esplin. The Andalite-Controller ignored Alloran and focused on Tobias. (So, you survived the crash. It was you who was responsible for that unpleasantness on Svutan, then.)

(Of course.)

(Pity. I had hoped he came to me and saved me a good deal of trouble. It would have been more convenient to end my search here.)

(Oh, don't worry. I can make sure it ends here.) A moment later, he added, (Alloran, I hate to tell you this, but he knows your people were hiding in the ship in small morphs. He can feel them. Best to have them demorph, this is going to get rough.)

Efflit frowned. "I do hate it when someone spoils the surprise."

(Don't try to fight that thing. It's mine,) Tobias added. (Get Rah Jaget out of here. She's more important than it knows.)

Tobias fluttered down and stood in front of Aximili. Alloran took a quick glance around him and then spoke to his troops. (Demorph. And prepare to fight.)

(Alloran, don't do something stupid.)

(I do not run from Yeerks any more than you do.) Behind him, Alloran's crew began to grow from various small animals.

Tobias turned his gaze on Aximili. (Fighting Yeerks is one thing. That...that isn't a Yeerk.)

In response, Aximili turned to face Alloran. A red gash appeared in the lower portion of his face. It grew into a hideous mouth rimmed with red teeth. He smiled.

Alloran took a step back. (What are you?)

(I am The One. The One who is Many. The One who is All. The One who will Rule.)

(The one who is going to die,) Alloran answered.

The One chuckled. It spoke with its mouth. "Alloran. You are as you always were. A fool, sent to amuse the likes of me."

Something struck Alloran, lifting him off of the ground and hurling him backwards. Calnen broke his fall and the two of them tumbled across the ground. Slowly, bruised, they pulled themselves to their hooves. Alloran saw a Hork-bajir lunge for Rah Jaget, but he never got close. Some invisible force lifted Rah Jaget from the ground and put her on the roof of the fighter. Unseen blades mutilated the Hork-bajir.

The One turned its main eyes on Tobias. The metal beneath the hawk cracked and fissured, but the Animorph remained untouched. A section of the steel floor peeled itself off and flew at The One, only to drop to the ground when it got within a few feet of him. (What in _yaolin_ was that?) Acario demanded.

(The first blows,) Alloran answered. (Attack!)

Efflit nodded to his Hork-bajir. "Enough of the drama. Shoot them."

Two dozen Dracon beams fired at once. They bounced harmlessly off of the _cetsu_ shields the Andalites hastily erected. (Return fire!) Alloran called.

The coordinated flash of green light was blinding. For a moment, the Andalites could see nothing. Then their eyes cleared. All of the Hork-bajir stood still, unharmed. Efflit smirked. "Please, Alloran. Please." He nodded to the ship behind him. "We're standing within the ship's shields."

Alloran winced. (He always was too clever for anyone's good,) he muttered. (Sabion, Alludra, and I will form a frontal shield. Calnen, Acario, and Estrid, remain behind us. We are going to get Rah Jaget.)

(And then what?) Acario asked, nodding to The One. (We going to get that...thing there?)

(I don't know,) Alloran answered. (Rah Jaget first.)

The Andalites slid to the side, towards the fighter. Tobias and The One glared at each other, the docking bay warping around them. The floors quivered and broke. Pieces of the walls and debris flew. The One was sweating and Tobias was breathing heavily. Unseen knives slashed at one another. They pummeled at each other with invisible fists, each turning the blows aside. They were evenly matched.

"Impossible!" The One shouted. "Where could you have learned to use your power?"

(Funny thing. The Allseer isn't all that hard to find.)

Efflit frowned as the Andalites made their way towards their ship, "Can't have them making off with that Hork-bajir," he sighed. He nodded to a Hork-bajir next to him. "Stun her." To another, he ordered, "Get it out here. I think we might need it."

A beam of red light struck Rah Jaget. She fell forward from the roof of the fighter. A moment later, the Andalites surrounded her. (Get her in the ship,) Alloran ordered.

Something came out of the Yeerk ship. At first, the figure was indistinct, hidden behind the ranks of Hork-bajir. They parted for it and Alloran frowned. It was a Howler, if the descriptions he heard were correct. This one wore a series of loose belts around its torso, each of which carried a different weapon. There was a standard energy gun, like a Shredder or a dracon beam. There was a second gun, one that appeared designed to shoot projectiles. It was very similar to human pistols. A third firearm seemed to be a sort of dart gun. In addition, the Howler wore several knives and small, curved-metal pieces that appeared designed to be thrown.

The Howler led with its energy beam, firing at the Andalites. The _cetsu_ shields reflected the beams. The Howler holstered that weapon and drew the pistol.

(The _cetsu_ does not block projectiles,) Estrid reminded them grimly.

Acario opened fire. The pistol in the Howler's hand sizzled and vaporized. So did the hand, but a moment later, it grew back. The Howler smiled. "Afraid of that one. I see."

In a flash, it was halfway to the Andalites. A split second later, all six Andalites opened fire. The Howler moved unbelievably fast. It twisted and dodged, still advancing at blinding speed. Some of the Shredder fire hit it, but not nearly enough; not nearly as much as should have. A few holes showed through its chest, and it was missing an arm, but the wounds were already repairing themselves. The howler was among them now. It opened its mouth to unleash its signature cry.

It stopped, coughing and choking. Acario stumbled and collapsed against the side of the ship. Alloran and Sabion lost no time. Almost simultaneously, they ignited their tailblades and slashed at the Howler with energized blades. The Howler raised its claws to parry the blows, but they were sliced clean off. It leaped back and drew the dart gun.

Efflit gazed across the docking bay at the Andalite who had collapsed against the side of the ship. "Interesting. He is already managing some manner of control. Best grab him and the Hork-bajir both." Satisfied that the Andalites were sufficiently engaged with the Howler, Efflit nodded. "Move out." The Hork-bajir advanced.

Alloran saw the advancing lines of Hork-bajir and grimaced. (We have to pull out. Sabion, Estrid, help me with this thing. Alludra, Calnen, get Acario and Rah Jaget into the fighter. Calnen, prep for takeoff.)

Alludra and Calnen herded Acario into the ship and then dragged Rah Jaget inside. While Calnen prepared the ship for takeoff, Alludra stood in the hatchway behind her _cetsu_, shooting at the Hork-bajir.

Alloran, Sabion, and Estrid stood in a triangle around the Howler. They struck all at once, three tails flashing, enhanced by their energy sheaths. The Howler twisted and dodged, deflecting their tails with strikes of its sharp claws and flashing knives. Alloran felt sharp claws sink into the shaft of his tail, turning a blow aside. Almost at the same time, Sabion stumbled back with a knife driven shallowly into his chest. Estrid's tail sliced into the Howler's side, but didn't hit anything immediately fatal. The wound was healing before her eyes.

They traded blows for only a few moments, but all four emerged battered and bloodied. The Howler dove and rolled out of the fight, one leg barely working. Sabion was bleeding badly, with a knife in his chest and one in his tail. Estrid had several deep slashes down her chest, and gash across her face where the Howler had almost gouged out her eye. Alloran may have had it the worst, with five knives buried in his upper heart and a dozen deep slashes on his tail and chest.

The Howler's wounds were still healing, but any sign of struggle would be erased in moments.

The Hork-bajir army was advancing, showering the Fighter in Dracon fire. Acario stumbled into the doorway and was shooting over Alludra's shoulder. Efflit stood within the Yeerk ship's shields, watching calmly. "Disable the engines," he ordered. "Let's keep them here."

Tobias and The One continued their silent, mostly invisible battle. Were it not for the occasional ripples in the ground, it would look as though they were only staring at each other. The air shimmered around them and the floor warped as unseen forces hammered at one another. It was a stalemate.

Alloran made a quick decision. (You two, get into the ship. Seal the hatch and put all shields to maximum. I will be back in a moment,)

(Sir?) Sabion questioned.

(DO IT!) Alloran roared. He turned and ran behind the ship. Unsure what to do, Sabion and Estrid followed his orders, backing into the hatch. Even exhausted and wounded as he inexplicably was, Acario was still an amazing shot. He stood in the doorway, leaning against Sabion as the two of them kept fire concentrated on the Howler and the Hork-bajir.

After a few moments, Calnen sealed the hatch and raised all shields to maximum. (What is the War-Prince planning?) he asked.

Acario shrugged. (No idea.) He turned his main eyes to Estrid, still leaning against Sabion. (And that? _That_ was a Howler.)

(That was nothing like what we saw previously,) Estrid admitted.

(And what's with that bird?) Sabion demanded. (What is going on?)

(Something very, very strange,) Alludra offered. (My father feared that there were unusual forces at work in this. Perhaps...)

The ship shuddered. No doubt something was trying to get in. Most likely the Howler, with an army of Hork-bair behind it. (Transparent,) Calnen ordered the ship. The walls disappeared. On one side, the Hork-bajir clung to the side of the small fighter, trying to rip the engines off by hand and burn them away with Dracon beams. On the other side of the ship...

(Wha...what _is_ that thing?) Acario demanded, staring with all four eyes at the monstrosity on the other side. It would be two stories tall, if it wasn't lying on the ground. It was relatively thin, most of its length taken up by thick tentacles that ended in sharp-looking, serrated pincers. The top of its body split into six different heads, all looking like a Taxxon.

For a moment, all stared at the creature. Then, it clicked in Calnen's mind. (It is the War-Prince. That must be one of the morphs that the Yeerk who controlled him used his body to acquire. The DNA is still within him.)

A moment later, the fighter was lifted into the air by some of Alloran's tentacles. The rest of his body surged forth beneath it, easily battering aside the small army of Hork-bajir. He coiled around the Howler, lashing at him with pincered-tentacles. The Howler fought well. It succeeded in slicing off several pincers and tentacles, and its dart gun almost tore off one of Alloran's heads. But such things were flesh wounds to this monster.

The Howler began to climb over the coils, digging in with its claws. It howled, but Alloran's morph seemed immune. Two pincers grabbed it by the arms and pulled. Both arms came off, but the Howler kept running. It fled back into the ship. Alloran roared out loud and in their heads. (COME, YEERK SCUM! SEE THE MONSTER YOU CREATED!)

The Hork-bajir fled, running back into the ship as well. A few brave ones dared to shoot their Dracon beams at Alloran's monster, but that only annoyed him. (PATHETIC NOTHINGS! YOU ANNOY ME!) he called, tearing the heads off of any creature foolish enough to stay where he could reach them.

Only The One remained, locked in its battle with the Animorph. Still they stared at one another, oblivious to the battle or unconcerned by it. Alloran turned to The One and reached out with one pincer. (You are coming with me!)

The One glanced at him. Everyone gasped as Alloran rose into the air, more than a dozen feet off of the ground. (Impossible!) Estrid gasped.

A blow of invisible force struck The One, throwing it several feet. Tobias had managed to strike it when it was distracted by Alloran. The War-Prince fell back to the ground. The One, realizing that it could not fight Tobias and Alloran, turned and fled for the ship as well. Alloran began to give chase. That was when the massive Dracon canon mounted beneath the nose of the ship turned towards him and fired. A huge chunk of his side was burned away, a blow nearly fatal even to this creature. The canon tried to fire again, but at the last moment it jerked to the side.

Alloran turned to Tobias. (Did you just-)

(Yes. Let's get out of here. Order your people to fly.)

(And how will we get out of here?)

(The same way.)

(Calnen! Back to the ship!) Alloran ordered. At the same time, he rose into the air, Tobias lifting him with the same power The One had used. The Animorph himself was flapping his wings, preferring to fly of his own, more natural power.

A few moments later, Alloran was demorphed and the fighter was docked with the bubble ship. Moments after that, they were in the atmosphere of Ulian, pushing out to where they could translate to Zero-Space. Tobias stood on the bridge, surrounded by the Andalites. Acario had passed out and was in his quarters. Rah Jaget was in the bubble, asleep under a tree. The others had morphed away their wounds and were now in top condition.

(Alright,) Tobias sighed. (I guess I've got some explaining to do.)


End file.
